M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage

The M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage was a self-propelled artillery piece, which was used by the US Army during the Korean War. It was an M115 203-mm (8-in) howitzer mounted on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. The M115 was a towed weapon which had extensively been deployed in World War II. In Korea, the M43 provided excellent fire support to infantry units during vicious attrition battles, when the American soldiers tried to take the Chinese-held hills.

The M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage fired 200-lb (90.7-kg) shells to a maximum range of 16.8 km (18,373 yards). It used separate-loading type ammunition (one projectile + one charge bag). It had a muzzle velocity of 587 m/s (1,926 feet/s). The vehicle was powered by one Continental R-975-C4 gasoline engine, which delivered 400 horsepower. In order to make the heavy artillery piece fit, the chassis of the M4A3 Sherman tank had to be lengthened and widened.

Specifications

Type: self-propelled howitzer

Weight: 38 tons

Length: 7.3 m (289 inches)

Width: 3.1 m (124 inches)

Height: 3.3 m (129 inches)

Howitzer Barrel Length: 5.1 m (16 feet, 9 inches)

Elevation: -2 to +65 degrees

Traverse: 30 degrees

Recoil: hydro-pneumatic

Breech: interrupted screw

Power Plant: one 400-HP, Continental R-975-C4 gasoline engine.

Maximum Speed: 39 km/h (24 mph)

Range: 172 km (107 miles)

Below, two black and white pics of M43 howitzer motor carriage. The first one was taken in Korea. The second one in a firing range.

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M40 Gun Motor Carriage

The M40 gun motor carriage was a self-propelled artillery piece used by the US Army at the end of World War II and during the Korean War. Technically, it was the M1 155-mm gun, the Long Tom, mounted on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. Although it arrived late in the European Theater, in late January 1945, it would become one of the best self-propelled artillery piece as it went on to a long postwar career.

The work on the 155-mm M40 gun motor carriage had begun in 1943 as the US Army looked for an alternative to replace the M12 self-propelled gun, which was based on the M3 medium tank chassis. Since its development took longer than expected, the first batch of M40 guns rolled out of the factory on January 2, 1945. The chassis of the M4 Sherman had to be widened and lengthened in order to accommodate the Long Tom. In Europe, it took part in the bombing of Köln and the short military campaign that ensued. From 1950, it would be used extensively in the Korean War.

Below, the M40 during a military tracked vehicle exhibition in the USA.

This 15-mm self-propelled gun was powered by one Continental radial piston engine, which produced 400 horsepower. It had a crew of eight and provision for their weapons and kit. However, it had no protection for the crew as the gun had been designed to be used far behind the front line. Thus, protection was not necessary as it was out of reach of the enemy artillery and infantry. The same carriage was employed to mount the 203-mm howitzer; this version was designated the M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage.

Specifications

Type: Self-propelled Gun

Weight: 37.2 tons

Length of Chassis: 6.65 m (21 feet, 10 inches)

Length of Whole Piece: 9 m (29 feet, 8 inches)

Width: 3.15 m (10 feet, 4 inches)

Height: 2.84 m (9 feet, 4 inches)

Power Plant: One 400-HP Continental R-975, air-cooled, radial piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 38.6 km/h (24 mph)

Range: 161 km (100 miles)

Armament: on 155-mm gun

Length of Gun Barrel: 6.97 m (22 feet, 10 inches); L/45.

Gun Elevation: -5 to +52 degrees

Traverse: 18 degrees to the right, and 16 degrees to the left.

Breech: Asbury Type Mechanism

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M18 Hellcat

The M18 Hellcat was a gun motor carriage used by the US Army in WW2 and the Korean War. To fulfill the anti-tank role, it was fitted with a 76.2-mm (3-in) M1A1 gun, which had been developed for the M10 vehicle. Its main attribute was its speed, as it could run in excess of 55 mph sustained speed. It was possible due to its light weight of 18 tons and its powerful Continental R-975 C-4 engine, which delivered 460 horsepower, making it the fastest tank destroyer and armored vehicle fielded in World War II.

Being introduced into service in 1943, the M18 Hellcat first saw combat action during the Battle of Anzio, in Italy in January 1944. It also took part in the Battle of Normandy in June and July 1944. It played an important role in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, as part of the US Army's 10th Armored Division. This tank destroyer was also employed in the Pacific Theater of Operation, providing the US Army units with fire support on Okinawa Island and in the Philippines. During this armed conflict, it proved to be very effective, capable of tackling all types of German, Italians, and Japanese tanks, except for the Panzer VI Tiger and Panzer V Panther.

Technical Description

The M18 Hellcat was entirely designed from the outset to carry out the mission of tank hunting. Its hull was made of individual armor plates welded together. The driver's compartment was in the front and it had two seats, with the driver on the left and his assistant on the right. The fighting compartment was located in the center of vehicle, while the engine was in the rear compartment. The turret was a welded unit, mounting the 76-mm gun. It was also armed with a .50-caliber (12.7-mm) Browning machine gun, which was mounted on a ring which was built into the turret itself.

The Continental R-975 C-4 that drove the M18 was a radial engine. It was literally a round engine, which ran on gasoline. It was air cooled by a fan attached to the fly-wheel, clutch, and pressure plate. A shroud surrounded the finned cylinders and heads. The starter, magneto, and carburetor were in the center of the engine. A transfer case was employed to direct the power down and forward through a driveshaft to the differential in front. A second transfer case directed the power up to the Torqmatic transmission in the front.

Specifications

Type: tank destroyer
Armament: one 76.2-mm (3 inches) anti-tank gun; one .50-caliber machine gun.
Weight: 18 tons
Length of Hull: 5.44 m (17 feet, 10 inches)
Length Overall: 6.65 m (21 feet, 10 inches)
Width: 2.87 m (9 feet, 5 inches)
Height: 2.58 m (8 feet, 5.5 inches)
Power Plant: one 460-HP, Continental R-975 C-4 gasoline engine.
Maximum Speed: 55+ mph (88 km/h) on road
Range: 105 miles (169 km)
Gradient: 60 per cent.

Below, the M18 Hellcat in a military museum in Virginia.

The side and rear view of the tank destroyer.

A M18 Hellcat of the 4th Armor Division, crossing the Moselle River, in northeastern France in September 1944.

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Taurus KEPD 350

The Taurus KEPD 350 is a stand-off, subsonic, cruise missile designed for precision strike. This modular, long-range weapon system was conceived for both land-attack and anti-ship missions. It is fitted with a two-stage, tandem MEPHISTO penetrator warhead. It uses combat aircraft as its launching platform, such as Eurofighter Typhoon, Panavia Tornado, and McDonnell Douglas EF-18E+.

Developed and produced by Taurus System GmbH, this expensive missile has been in service with the air forces of Sweden, Germany, Spain, and South Korea since 2003. The Taurus KEPD 350 can penetrate dense air defenses by flying at low levels, using a terrain-following navigation system. It was designed to penetrate and neutralize high-value stationary and semi-stationary targets. Officially, it has a range of 500 km (300 miles). However, according to some sources, its maximum range is 700 km.

The Taurus KEPD 350 features the programmable, multi-purpose fuse PIMPF. This allow the penetrator explosive to go off at a pre-selected layer of the target structure. Thus, it has the capability of destroying hard and deeply buried targets. Its navigation system is resistant to jamming. Adaptable to different carrier platforms (aircraft), it has surgical strike capability, under all weather conditions. Since it is a stand-off missile, it is equipped with folding wings and four tail fins, which provide it with flight stability and steerage on its flight towards the target.

Specifications

Type: Long-range, stand-off, air-to-surface cruise missile

Weight: 1,400 kg (3,100 pounds)

Length: 5 m (16 feet, 8.5 inches)

Wing Span: 2 m (6 feet, 9 inches)

Propulsion System: William P38300-15 turbofan engine

Maximum Speed: Mach .98

Range: 700 km

Guidance: inertial navigation system, GPS, and terrain following system.

Variants: KEPD 350E, KEPD 350K-2

Below, the Taurus missile as it has just been released from a flying combat aircraft.

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Storm Shadow (SCALP)

The Storm Shadow (SCALP) is a long-range, stand-off missile, which was developed at the end of the 1990s by British Aerospace (BAe) and MATRA (a French firm). Today it is manufactured by MBDA. The first trial of the missile took place on December 28, 2000, at the Biscarosse range, France, when it was fired from a Mirage 2000N aircraft. It would enter service three years later, in 2003, with the RAF and Armée de l'Air (French Air Force). 'SCALP' is a French acronym which stands for Systèm de Croisière Autonome à Long Portée (Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile System).

The Storm Shadow missile uses combat aircraft as launching platforms, such as the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Panavia Tornado, and JAS 39 Gripen. The weapon features a multistage penetration warhead, which is designed to destroy reinforced-concrete bunkers, housing command posts, telecommunication centers, and other important targets. It was used in combat during the 2003 USA/British invasion of Iraq, the Libyan Civil War (which led to the downfall of Gaddafi), the Civil War in Syria (2011-2019), and the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Technical Characteristics

Once it has been launched, the Storm Shadow missile drops down sharply from high altitudes to low altitudes as its folding wings spread out. Then it starts flying at low levels, between 15 and 20 m above the ground. Thus, it follows a low flight course, with very low observability. It has high levels of navigation accuracy, using GPS, terrain reference navigation system, and inertial navigation system. Target-hitting accuracy is achieved through IIR (imaging infrared) seeker and automatic target recognition. Six tail fins give it steerage and stability.

Specifications

Type: long-range cruise missile

Weight: 1,300 kg

Length: 5.10 m

Width: 0.63 m (63 cm)

Wing Span: 3 m

Propulsion: turbojet engine

Navigation: INS, GPS, terrain reference (contouring) system.

Range: 600/800 km

Warhead: blast/penetrator

Below, two pictures of the Storm Shadow/SCALP missile, with its wings spread out.

 

 

The missile as it is dropped from the aircraft (video)

 

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Canon de 194 GPF

The canon de 194 GPF was a heavy artillery piece used by the French Army and also by the Wehrmacht during World War II. Developed from the canon de 155 mm GPF, it was manufactured by firms Saint-Chamond and Puteaux. This 194-mm gun was in service with the French Army between 1920 and 1940. After the German invasion of France, the Wehrmacht seized 15 pieces, some of which were fielded by the Germans on the Eastern Front.

The canon de 194 GPF was a self-propelled 194-mm gun, which was mounted on a tracked vehicle (sur chenilles). This vehicle was powered by a 120-HP electric motor. It fired 80.86-kg shell to a maximum distance of 18.3 km (11 miles). When the weapon had to be moved to change position, the gun barrel was displaced backward to the rear of chassis. However, not only the motor vehicle was slow, but also the gun rate of fire was slow. It was not efficient for a lightning war as ordinary field artillery towed by trucks moved much faster when they had move to a different location.

Specifications

Type: self-propelled heavy artillery

Weight: 29.6 tons (65,300 pounds)

Caliber: 194mm

Shell: 80.86 kg (200 pounds)

Barrel Length: 6.57 m (21 feet, 7 inches); L/42.2

Elevation: +0 to +40 degrees

Traverse: 55 degrees

Muzzle Velocity: 700 m/s

Power Plant: one 120 HP, Panhard SUK4 M2

Maximum Speed: 8 km/h (5 mph)

Below, the Canon de 194 GPF sur chenilles on the Eastern Front being used by the German Army.

The self-propelled 194mm gun (historical video)

 

The French 194 GPF on exhibition in a park in Paris.

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Obice da 210/22

The Obice da 210/22 modello 35 was a 210mm howitzer, which was used by the Italian Army during World War II. It was an excellent design and a well-made artillery piece. However the Italian armament industry could not produce it in large numbers. Although the prototype was made and exhibited in 1935, the howitzer was accepted for service three years later, in 1938.

The Obice da 210/22 was a modern design. It employed a split-trail carriage, with two road wheels on each side. When the howitzer was set up for action, these wheels were raised off the ground and the artillery piece weight was sustained by a firing platform under the main axle. Thus, the weapon could have a traverse of 360 degrees after the stakes that anchored the trail spades to the ground were raised.

The Italians could not keep up production of the Obice da 210/22 and, by 1942, only 20 had been made and delivered to the Italian Army. The problem was that the manufacturer Ansaldo had sold two batches of the howitzer to the Hungarian Army, which fielded the weapon on the Eastern Front. After the fall of Benito Mussolini, the Germans seized all the all pieces and designated it 21-cm Haubitze 520(i), which would cause many Allied casualties when the Anglo-Americans began the Italian Campaign in 1943.

Specifications

Type: heavy howitzer

Caliber: 210-mm (8.26 inches)

Weight: 24 tons (traveling); 16 tons when set up for action.

Barrel Length: 5 m (L/23.8)

Carriage: split-trail

Recoil: hydro-pneumatic

Elevation: 0 to +70 degrees.

Traverse: 360 degrees (on platform).

 Maximum Range:15.4 km (16,850 yards)

Muzzle Velocity: 560 m/s

Below, the Obice da 210/22 in a factory yard.

Picture of the heavy howitzer with the wheels raised off and resting on platform.

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