CN-105-57

CN-105-57

An Austrian SK-105A2 Kürassier fitted with the CN105G1 gun.
Type Tank gun
Place of origin France
Service history
In service 1957–present
Used by Austria
Australia
Netherlands
Argentina
Brazil
Production history
Designer EFAB
Designed 1957
Manufacturer ABS
Variants CN105G1 (fitted with a muzzle break and a thermal sleeve)
Specifications
Weight 1,210 kg (2,670 lb)
Barrel length overall: 4.62 m (15 ft 2 in) L/44

Shell 105×528 mm. R
Caliber 105 mm (4.134 in)
Recoil hydrospring
Elevation -8° to +12°
Traverse 360°
Rate of fire 8-12 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 800 m/s with shaped-charge round
1430 m/s with the APFSDS round
Feed system loaded by cartridge cylinders (or manually) and automatic rammer
Sights M213

The CN-105-57, also known as the D1504 is a French 105 mm tank gun of 44 calibre length.

The CN-105-57 was fitted to some variants of the French AMX-13 light tank and the widely used Austrian SK-105 Kurassier tank destroyer/light tank produced by Steyr-Daimler-Puch. Some of these vehicles were deployed by Qatar during the first Gulf War, and this is the only known combat use of this gun.

The CN-105-57 was fitted to the Israeli M51 "Super Sherman" tank and known locally as the CN-105 D1. In this guise the gun saw extensive combat use in 1967 and 1973, scoring many victories in engagements with Syrian and Egyptian forces. In order to fit in the T23 turret of the M51, a larger muzzle break was added to reduce the recoil length.

An Israeli M51 Sherman fitted with the CN-105 D1 gun. Note the large muzzle brake.

Ammunition were modified versions of that used in the 105 mm Modèle F1 gun fitted to the AMX-30 MBT, using shorter cartridges cases and were manufactured locally under licence by Israel Military Industries. These ammunition allowed the M51 Sherman to defeat at long range every opposing tank fielded against it.

Argentina also produced a similar version of this gun, similar to the Israeli version, for use on their Repotenciado upgrade of ex-British Sherman Firefly tanks, and known locally as the L44/57 FTR 105 mm. Although these tanks still had the original smaller Sherman turret, the extended Firefly bustle gave enough space for the recoil within a limited elevation arc but left a very cramped turret. Ammunition was later sourced from FMK.

Many Israeli M51s were sold to Chile in the 1980s and continued in use into the mid-1990s. Together with the Argentine Repotenciado these represented the swansong of the Sherman series as a gun tank, more than half a century after entering service. Some of the individual base hulls were by then more than 40 years old.

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