The Bishop self-propelled gun was a 25-pdr (87.6mm) mobile artillery piece employed by the British and Canadian forces during World War II. It was first used in combat in North Africa in 1942 as an anti-tank gun. However, it would soon be deployed as a self-propelled artillery piece to provide fire support to front line infantry units as it was not powerful enough against German tanks. It went to be used also in Sicily and Italy in 1943. However, it was replaced by the American M7 Priest in 1943.
Technical Description
The Bishop self-propelled gun was basically the 25-pdr (87.6-mm) towed field gun Mk.I mounted on the chassis of the Valentine infantry tank. The rotating turret of the tank was replaced by a larger but fixed, square and ungainly-looking turret, which was badly designed as it restricted the elevation of the gun barrel. Thus, in order to increase its elevation and be able to use it as a howitzer, the crew had to build a natural ramp, with compacted, tamped down earth. Not only was it cramped inside for the crew, but it had also a high-profile over the horizon easy to be spotted by the enemy from a distance.
Specifications
Type: self-propelled artillery
Weight: 8 tons (17,460 pounds)
Length: 5.64 m (18 feet, 6 inches)
Width: 2.77 m (9 feet, 1 inch)
Height: 3 m (10 feet)
Power Plant: One AEC, 6-cylinder, diesel engine, which developed 131 HP.
Maximum Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Range: 177 km (110 miles)
Crew: 4
Armament: one 87.6-mm gun (25-pdr gun Mk.I)
Below, a photo of the Bishop in North Africa in 1942. You can see the high profile of the bulky turret, which was a major disadvantage.
A side view of the British self-propelled gun, with the Canadian flag.
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