BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk 1 - 5
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| BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk V | |
|---|---|
 8 inch Howitzer Mk V near Carnoy, Battle of Albert, July 1916 |
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| Type | heavy howitzer |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1915 - 1918 |
| Wars | World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Major M L Wilkinson, RGA[1] |
| Number built | 91 [2] |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 5 Long tons (gun & breech)[3] 13.5 Long tons (total)[4] |
| Barrel length | 118 - 124.8 inch (bore) 128 - 136 inch (total)[5] |
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| Shell | HE 200 pounds (90.72 kg), bagged charge |
| Calibre | 8 inches (203 mm) |
| Recoil | Hydro - spring constant. 18, 13 or 13.25 inch[7] |
| Elevation | -5° - 45° |
| Traverse | nill |
| Muzzle velocity | 1301 ft/s max |
| Maximum range | 10,500 yds[6] |
The BL 8-Inch Howitzer Mark 1 through to Mark 5 were a British improvisation developed early in the First World War to provide heavy artillery. It used shortened and bored-out barrels from various redundant naval 6-inch guns.
It bore no relation to the later 8 inch howitzer of the First World War, the Vickers 8 inch Mark VI to VIII howitzers which succeeded it.
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[edit] History
The weapon entered service in February 1915.
The Mark I - V had many relatively minor differences in the carriages and trails and Mk IV, Mk VI and QF Mk II 6-inch naval gun barrels were used[8]. However, the ballistic characteristics, propellant charges and shells used were similar for all Mks I - V. They are easily identified by their short thick barrel and 2 recoil buffers above the barrel.
Mks 1 - 4 were no longer repaired from Summer 1917 onwards.[9]
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[edit] Combat use
They were operated by siege batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). Holt caterpillar tractors were used to tow them into position.
Mks 1 - 5 were limited by a short range and high weight, being 4-5 tons heavier than the succeeding Mk 6.
The improvised nature of the design led to failures such as premature explosion and unreliability in action, and difficulties of maintenance in workshops. There were also early quality-control problems with British mass production of ammunition in 1915 and early 1916 : "the 8-inch fuses failed so often that the battlefield was littered with unexploded 8-inch shells".[10]
However, they remained in use on the Western Front throughout the First World War as Britain's need for heavy artillery increased and was never fully met by production of modern equipment.
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[edit] Photo Gallery
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[edit] See also
[edit] Surviving examples
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Clarke, page 34. Major Wilkinson suggested the use of bored-out and shortened 6-inch (152 mm) naval gun barrels.
- ^ National Archives MUN5/373/9227 : Mk 1 - 12 (Mar - Jul 15); Mk 2 - 6 (May); Mk 3 - 6 May Jun; Mk 4 - 8 Oct; Mk 5 - 4 Dec, + 59 1916.
- ^ Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 152. 5 tons is a rounded average for weight of gun with breech. Details: How Mk I 5 ton 6 cwt; Mk II 4 ton 19 3/4 cwt; Mk III 5 ton 2 1/4 cwt; Mk IV 5 ton 6 cwt;Mk V 5 ton 1 cwt
- ^ Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 152. 13.5 tons is a rounded average for total weight of gun and carriage. Carriage averaged 8 ton 8 cwt. Weights for the carriages with gun : Carriage Mk I with Mk I how : 13 ton 13 cwt; Carriage Mk II with how : 13 ton 11 cwt; Carriage Mk III with how 13 ton 3 cwt; Carriage Mk IV with how 13 ton 3 cwt; Carriage Mk V with how 13 ton 5 cwt
- ^ Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 153
- ^ Clarke, page 35
- ^ Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 153. Carriage Mk I 18 inch; Mk II, Mk 5 13 inch; Mk III, Mk IV 13.25 inch
- ^ Mk I used barrels from BLC guns Mk I/IV; Mk II & III used barrels from BL Mk IV or VI; Mk IV used BLC Mk I/VI adapted for Mk IV carriage; Mk V used QF Mk II barrels converted to BL (total of 63). Details from Clarke 2005, page 34, and Tony DiGiulian's website Britain 6"/40 (15.2 cm) QF Marks I, II and III
- ^ National Archives MUN5/373/9227
- ^ Farndale 1986, page 135
[edit] References
- Dale Clarke, British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005
- General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914-18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986
- Per Finsted, Om den engelske 8-tommers haubits 1915-1940 (in Danish)
- I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, "British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918". London: Ian Allan, 1972.
