M3 (105mm Howitzer M3)

History

World War II gave birth to airborne troops light infantry deployed to enemy territory to make lightning-quick attacks or capture key points while bypassing entrenched enemy defenses and quickly proved their worth. Although initially used in combat by the Italians and Soviets, it was the German army that used the weapon so effectively and played a huge role in the opening battles of the war that other nations soon followed suit, developing the These multifaceted elite combat units. By 1941, U.S. military doctrine included "paratroopers" as a standard component of its Air Force -- soldiers trained in the art of "jumping out of sound aircraft."

One of the main limitations of this type of soldier is that they need to be lightly armed to jump forward. The transport aircraft of that era had limited interior space, and more importantly, soldiers could only carry a limited amount of equipment into the battlefield, and the challenge remained how to properly equip these elements to create a more powerful combat force.

It was for this that many projects were carried out, and this solution of the US army became the "105-mm howitzer M3".

In 1941, engineers began work on a new weapon codenamed "T7". The weapon's design focused on shortening the 105mm standard howitzer barrel of the existing M2A1 howitzer (then the US Army's standard howitzer) by approximately 27 inches and mating it with the existing 75mm mount-army howitzer package use. Although the recoil components of the 75mm system are retained, the slip sleeve has been slightly redesigned to take on a new role of "carryable".

The result is a relatively light field artillery system with the proven firepower of the American 105mm gun. In March 1942, a prototype model was used for evaluation and then tested at the fabled Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland before it entered service with the U.S.

Army under the long term "105mm M3 Howitzer on an M3 Frame" . Production began in February 1943 and continued until the end of the war in 1945.

Over time, the M3 was assigned to airborne and conventional infantry, and their mobility was quickly appreciated. In practice, the system proved effective, reliable and accurate against airborne forces at a distance of 8,300 yards, and was used to disperse enemies or cover offensive operations.

The 30-pound, 105mm HE round has devastating psychological effects on anyone unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end - with or without cover, the M3's split rail system can be attached to the coupler of a moving vehicle and transported at high speed. Otherwise, move the system on foot by a five-man rifle team.

The M3 sits on two rubber tires, which make short trips a little easier.

The M3 fires a 105x372R 105mm projectile from a horizontal breech arrangement. The recoil system is hydropneumatically actuated. Elevation angles range from -9 to +30 degrees and lateral to 45 degrees (going beyond this number requires manual left or right rotation of the entire system).

Trained and experienced aircrews can fire four rounds per minute as needed and maintain a fire rate of two rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity is rated at 1,020 feet per second. Later came an improved weapon rack (T10) with a height of 65 degrees and thus increased range.

While the standard shell is itself a high-explosive shell (HE M1), the M3 can also fire the M67 High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) shell as well as smoke grenades. Drills and shells are used for non-combat characters.

The M3 series uses similar ammunition to the M2 howitzer, but uses a lower charge to burn the propellant more quickly.

During the course of its operational service, the M3 uses a variety of models. The M3 is the basic production car, essentially an improved version of the car used in the 75mm field howitzer. The M3A1 followed, this version with reinforced rear legs for the rigors of the battlefield.

The last model was the M3A2, this version was fitted with a small blast shield that gave the rifle group limited protection from shrapnel and shells.

Actual use of the M3 began in 1943, with 1,965 units delivered that year. Production dropped sharply in 1944 and 1945, with 410 and 205 produced, respectively. A total of 2,580 M3 systems were delivered to the U.S. Army, while some went to the French military and South American allies.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

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Armor

Depends on the ammunition carrier. HE, HEAT, Smoke and Practice Wheels are available.

Changes