Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

6-Inch 26 cwt

1915 WORLD WAR 1 WORLD WAR 2

6 Inch 26 Cwt Story

The 6-inch 26-cwt howitzer was developed during World War I and was still in service at the beginning of World War II. These guns fired a staggering 22.4 million rounds during World War I and became the most revered and important weapons in the British war effort during the conflict.

In total, around 3,633 examples were completed, produced by a joint effort of UK factories including Vickers, Beardmore, Coventry Ordnance Works, Woolwich Ordnance Factory and Midvale Steel Company. This type continued to be used in the early years of World War II until it was officially declared obsolete in 1945.

The First World War broke out in Europe on July 28, 1914. Just a month ago, regional tensions escalated following the assassination of 19-year-old Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip. The assassination sparked Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, followed by other allegiance nations, declaring war on each other's allies.

Thus began the great war.

The Armed Forces of the British Empire entered service with everything they had - including the outdated 6" 25 CWT and 6" 30 CWT howitzer systems. While these systems are still relatively effective, they are still in their prime - the 6" 30 CWT gun itself was forged in the late 1800s. Therefore, there was an urgent need to develop a more modern basic field gun for the British artillery force. As a result, the 6" 30 cwt gun was developed to replace the two aging field guns, offering a completely new design that improved attributes such as mobility, improved range and lethal firepower.

Design work on the 6-inch 26-cwt howitzer began in January 1915, and fire tests were conducted in late July. The gun proved sufficient for British needs, and the model entered service in August.

The entire weapon system is very traditional in its overall design. The barrel rests on a bracket between two wooden metal spoked wheels. The rear has a "box track" assembly for easy road transport and positioning of the gun.

The weapon system is heavy - weighing in at 8,142 pounds - requiring the service of no less than 10 personnel to manage it. Her barrel length (including the carriage) is 21.6 feet, and her barrel alone is 6.6 feet long.

The main gun is 152.4 mm (6 in) caliber, the breech is of a Welin screw design, and the recoil is managed by a variable hydropneumatic system. Elevation angles were limited to between 0 and 45 degrees, and only 4 degrees laterally, without the need to move the entire gun in any particular direction.

Crews are trained to fire a variety of munitions, including the standard 100-pound high-explosive (HE) projectile as well as high-explosive incendiary (HEI) rounds. World War I also ushered in the age of chemical warfare, and both sides quickly benefited from a level playing field.

So, one more round of chemistry-based rounds. A trained crew can fire about two rounds per minute, with a range of up to 9,500 yards and a muzzle velocity of 1,400 f/s.

After being put into service, the 6-inch 26-cwt worked well. Like other weapons in this class, early versions were transported back and forth using "pack beasts", and it wasn't until 1916 that motor transport vehicles entered the market to facilitate travel over longer distances and over more difficult terrain. To balance the sheer weight on soft ground, rectangular metal sheets (called "belts") wrap around each wheel like armored rails to keep the gun from rising in mud or snow.

By the end of the war, the original iron wheels had been replaced by solid rubber tires.

Eventually, as World War II ended in Europe and became part of Western history, the original wooden spoked wheels gave way to pneumatic tires mounted on steel rims. The barrel is now also aimed at 11,400 yards with an updated 86-pound projectile.

The weapon's success has also given it a global presence, not just in the Commonwealth, but also in Belgian, Italian, Greek, Dutch and Russian artillery units, to match its standardised use in Australian, Canadian and Southern armies with African and New Zealand goes hand in hand.

When a world war was looming againthis time in World War II, the war-weary world barely turned a page. With the 6" 26 Cwt still in British stockpiles, the weapon system was recalled into service and is still proving very valuable for bringing it into battle.

Their value is further reinforced by the fact that the Bundeswehr even used a capture system called the FH-412(e). The type faithfully performed its artillery role until it was replaced by the more modern BL 5.5" midfield gun in 1942. From then on, the 6-inch 26-cwt had fewer and fewer encounters until it was officially retired in 1945the last year of World War II.

The final combat action of the 6-inch 26-cwt gun took place in the Burmese theater, ending the long and successful use of the powerful 6-inch 26-cwt gun.

"6 inches" refers to the barrel caliber, and "26 cwt" refers to the combined weight of the barrel and associated breech - this is 26 "percent weight" or "long pound".