Biggest gun on wheels

Item

Title (Dublin Core): Biggest gun on wheels
Subject (Dublin Core): en Technology; en Rifles and firearms; en Transport
Article Title and/or Image Caption (Dublin Core): Biggest gun on wheels
extracted text (Extract Text): CHAMPION of heavyweights—but with

the agility of a bantam—that's the new
240-mm. howitzer which blasted the great
gaps in the steel and concrete forts of
the Siegfried line. Not only is the M-1 the
heaviest of all our mobile artillery, but it
goes into action in a hurry. All previous
performance records in speed of movement
and emplacement of big guns have been put
in the shade by this product of U. S. Army
Ordnance ingenuity. So quickly can this
monster be thrown into action that it is
used on targets of opportunity as well as for
demolition. That gives an idea of the gi-
gantic stride represented by this weapon.

Mobility is the middle name of the 240-
mm. howitzer. It moves in just two parts,
drawn by 38-ton tractors, at 21 miles an
hour, the 125-ton barrel riding on one six
wheeled transport wagon and the 20-ton
carriage on another. With their 18 x 24
pneumatic tires and high-speed axles, the
transport wagons are a far cry from the
slow-moving, solid:tired trailers that were
used to carry the old-model howitzers.

‘When it comes to getting the new
gun into action, the methods and means
are equally modern. A huge truck-
mounted crane digs the recoil pit in a
fraction of the time formerly required
by men with shovels. The same crane
picks up the carriage and the barrel
with ease and sets them in place. With
this up-to-date equipment, the big how-
itzer is ready to fire in a little more
than an hour. The old one could not be
emplaced in less than four hours under
the most favorable conditions. It was al-
most all hand work.

When the new howitzer goes into action,
its performance is likewise far superior to
that of its predecessor. Its range is 14
miles, against nine. Its rate of fire is three
times as fast, its projectile heavier. The
gun itself can be swung in either direction
22 1/2degrees from center, as against 10 de-
grees for the old one. The added area of
enemy territory brought into range is im-
mense.

About the only similarity between the
new and the old guns is the caliber of 240
millimeters, slightly under 9 1/2 inches.
All in all, the new 240-mm. howitzer M-1
simply spells more destruction for the ene-
my, more protection for our men. It's an
artillery ace-in-the-hole in the hand held by
American forces.
Contributor (Dublin Core): John E. Lodge (writer)
Language (Dublin Core): eng
Temporal Coverage (Dublin Core): World War II
Date Issued (Dublin Core): 1945-07
Is Part Of (Dublin Core): Popular Science Monthly, v. 147, n. 1, 1945
pages (Bibliographic Ontology): 76-79
Rights (Dublin Core): Public domain
Source (Dublin Core): Google Books
Archived by (Dublin Core): Sami Akbiyik; Marco Bortolami (editor)
Spatial Coverage (Dublin Core): United States Army

Item sets: checked; full text

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