BL 7.2 inch Howitzer
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| BL 7.2 inch Howitzer Mk.I |
7.2-inch howitzer of 51st Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, France, 2 September 1944 |
| Type |
Howitzer |
| Place of origin |
 United Kingdom |
| Specifications |
| Weight |
22,000 lb (10,000 kg) |
| Length |
12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) |
| Width |
9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Height |
4 ft 2 in (1.27 m) |
| Crew |
10 |
|
| Shell |
HE |
| Shell weight |
202 pounds (92 kg) |
| Calibre |
7.2 inches (182.9 mm) |
| Breech |
Welin screw & Asbury mech |
| Carriage |
Box trail |
| Rate of fire |
1/3 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity |
1,697 ft/s (517 m/s) Maximum |
| Maximum range |
16,900 yd (15,500 m) |
The BL 7.2 inch Howitzer Mk.I and subsequent marks were a series of heavy artillery pieces designed by the United Kingdom at the start of World War II. The 7.2 inch (183 mm) was not a new design, but instead a re-lined version of the 8 inch (203 mm) howitzers dating from World War I. The carriage was a modernized version of that used on both the 8 inch howitzer and World War I, 6 inch gun.[1] The weapons were a stop-gap measure to meet the urgent need for heavy artillery faced by the Allies early in World War II.
However, they managed to perform relatively well, and were kept in service by the British until the end of the war, in their AGRA Units as parts of "Heavy" regiments to provide heavy fire support for British and Commonwealth troops. In action, each gun would be served by a crew of 10 men except for the Mark 6 versions, which required 12.[1]
- Mk 1
- Mk 1*
- Mk 2
- Mk 3
- Mk 4
- Mk 5
- Mounted on a modified US 155 mm Long Tom carriage. Not introduced into service
- Mk 6
- Used a US 155 mm Long Tom carriage and a lengthened barrel; introduced into service in 1945. Retained until the early 1960s.[1]
[edit] Operators
See: "7.2-Inch Howitzer". British Artillery in World War 2.[1]
Canada
- 57 (later 166) (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment.
- 59 Heavy Regiment
- United Kingdom
- Royal Artillery
- 1 Heavy Regiment
- 32 Heavy Regiment
- 51 (Lowland) Heavy Regiment
- 52 (Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Heavy Regiment
- 53 Heavy Regiment
- 54 Heavy Regiment
- 55 Heavy Regiment
- 56 Heavy Regiment
- 58 Heavy Regiment
- 60 Heavy Regiment
- 61 Heavy Regiment
- 75 Heavy Regiment
- 171 Heavy Regiment
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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