155 mm Gun M1

The 155 mm Gun M1 was an American field artillery piece, which was massively used by Allied armies and US Marine Corps in World War II and the Korean War. Designed to replace the French 155-mm Grand Puissance Filloux, it was introduced into service at the end of the 1930s. Therefore, basically it was an update of the French GPF howitzer, with a new breech; the Asbury mechanism, which enables the operator to open and close it with a single motion.

The 155-mm Gun M1 had a distinctive long barrel, which was 6.97-m (L/45) in length and it shared the same split-trail carriage of the 8-in Howitzer. It was carried around on a four twin-wheel bogie, which was attached to the carriage body by two large screwed rods. Above these rods, there was a top carriage that carried the cradle, the recoil system, and gun as they were balanced by two hydro-pneumatic cylinders, which ran from top of carriage to support the cradle. The trail ends were carried on a two-wheel limber (cart). Once on the battlefield, the limber was removed and the trail legs spread.

The 155 mm Gun M1 was the second most commonly utilized US Army field artillery during WWII as 170 field artillery battalions were formed to deploy this howitzer. The US Marine Corps was slower to introduce the 155 mm Gun, due to tighter logistics restrictions. Thus, it became the standard heavy gun of the US Armed Forces. The M1 would be gradually developed into the M1A1 model, and then into the M2 in late 1944.

Specifications

Type: heavy field howitzer

Caliber: 155-mm (6.1 in)

Barrel Length: 6.97 m (22 ft, 10 in)

Full Length: 11 m (36 ft, 1 in)

Weight: 12.6 tons

Breech: interrupted screw, with Asbury mechanism

Elevation: -2 to +65 degrees

Traverse: 60 degrees

Maximum Range: 23.22 km

Shell: 43 kg

Below, the 155-mm Gun M1 in a US Army base.

The M1 set up at maximum elevation by the British crew.