Ordnance QF 95 mm Howitzer
Encyclopedia
The Ordnance QF 95-mm Howitzer was a British
Howitzer
built in two versions during the Second World War. The Tank Howitzer version was accepted for service use, but an Infantry Howitzer version was not accepted for service use.
s so they could fire a HE or HESH shell against hardened concrete targets like pillboxes in the "close support" of infantry. The 95mm howitzer used fixed ammunition with a 25 lb (11.3 kg) projectile, rather than separate charge and round common for artillery howitzers. The Tank Howitzer was used to arm the Churchill
Mark V and VIII, the Cromwell
VI & VIII and the Centaur IV tanks. The Ordnance QF 95 mm Howitzer was built up from a section of a 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun
barrel, the breech mechanism of the Ordnance QF 25 pounder
field gun/howitzer and the recoil mechanism of the Ordnance QF 6 pounder
anti-tank gun. The Tank Howitzer version was also fitted with a large counterweight at the end of the barrel to help balance the gun.
The only variant of the Centaur tank (a Cromwell tank with a less powerful engine) to see action was the 95 mm armed Mark IV. For the Normandy landings, the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group was formed with an establishment of eighty Mark IVs.
The Ordnance QF 95-mm Infantry Howitzer was a version built as a conventional towed artillery piece. Perhaps in response to the success of the German sIG 33
, a proposal was circulated in the summer of 1942 by the British Army
for an Infantry Howitzer to be used in a direct-fire role against hardened concrete targets, like pillboxes. The 95 mm Tank Howitzer already under development was considered to be a logical starting point for the design of the new howitzer. The Infantry Howitzer version was similar to the Tank Howitzer, except the Infantry Howitzer lacked the barrel counterweight and was placed on a box-trail carriage and given a gun shield.
Testing in 1943 showed that both the recoil system and the carriage were over stressed and redesign was needed, which delayed testing and introduction of the Infantry Howitzer until 1944. However the problems with the recoil mechanism and carriage were never fully ironed out and the weapon was refused by the infantry and declared obsolete in April 1945, but not before several hundred examples were produced.
The decision to refuse the adoption of the Infantry Howitzer may have not been based entirely on the deficiencies of the gun, but due to perceived obsolescence and organizational difficulties. The introduction of the bazooka
and recoilless rifle
may have influenced the decision to refuse the gun since they were lighter, less expensive, man portable and fulfilled the direct fire role of the Infantry Howitzer. Organizationally there was also the question of who would man the gun; the infantry already had to support and transport anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars and heavy machine guns. Gun crews would need to be trained and provided with services such as transportation, supply and communications.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
built in two versions during the Second World War. The Tank Howitzer version was accepted for service use, but an Infantry Howitzer version was not accepted for service use.
Design and development
The Ordnance QF 95-mm Tank Howitzer was designed to be fitted to British tankTank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s so they could fire a HE or HESH shell against hardened concrete targets like pillboxes in the "close support" of infantry. The 95mm howitzer used fixed ammunition with a 25 lb (11.3 kg) projectile, rather than separate charge and round common for artillery howitzers. The Tank Howitzer was used to arm the Churchill
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
Mark V and VIII, the Cromwell
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
VI & VIII and the Centaur IV tanks. The Ordnance QF 95 mm Howitzer was built up from a section of a 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun
QF 3.7 inch AA gun
The 3.7-Inch QF AA was Britain's primary heavy anti-aircraft gun during World War II. It was roughly the equivalent of the German 88 mm FlaK but with a slightly larger calibre of 94 mm and superior performance. It was used throughout World War II in all theatres except the Eastern Front...
barrel, the breech mechanism of the Ordnance QF 25 pounder
Ordnance QF 25 pounder
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
field gun/howitzer and the recoil mechanism of the Ordnance QF 6 pounder
Ordnance QF 6 pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, their primary anti-tank gun during the middle of World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles...
anti-tank gun. The Tank Howitzer version was also fitted with a large counterweight at the end of the barrel to help balance the gun.
The only variant of the Centaur tank (a Cromwell tank with a less powerful engine) to see action was the 95 mm armed Mark IV. For the Normandy landings, the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group was formed with an establishment of eighty Mark IVs.
The Ordnance QF 95-mm Infantry Howitzer was a version built as a conventional towed artillery piece. Perhaps in response to the success of the German sIG 33
SIG 33
The 15 cm sIG 33 was the standard German heavy infantry gun used in the Second World War. It was the largest weapon ever classified as an infantry gun by any nation. Sources differ on the development history, but the gun itself was of conventional design. Early production models were...
, a proposal was circulated in the summer of 1942 by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
for an Infantry Howitzer to be used in a direct-fire role against hardened concrete targets, like pillboxes. The 95 mm Tank Howitzer already under development was considered to be a logical starting point for the design of the new howitzer. The Infantry Howitzer version was similar to the Tank Howitzer, except the Infantry Howitzer lacked the barrel counterweight and was placed on a box-trail carriage and given a gun shield.
Testing in 1943 showed that both the recoil system and the carriage were over stressed and redesign was needed, which delayed testing and introduction of the Infantry Howitzer until 1944. However the problems with the recoil mechanism and carriage were never fully ironed out and the weapon was refused by the infantry and declared obsolete in April 1945, but not before several hundred examples were produced.
The decision to refuse the adoption of the Infantry Howitzer may have not been based entirely on the deficiencies of the gun, but due to perceived obsolescence and organizational difficulties. The introduction of the bazooka
Bazooka
Bazooka is the common name for a man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon, widely fielded by the U.S. Army. Also referred to as the "Stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was amongst the first-generation of rocket propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat...
and recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
may have influenced the decision to refuse the gun since they were lighter, less expensive, man portable and fulfilled the direct fire role of the Infantry Howitzer. Organizationally there was also the question of who would man the gun; the infantry already had to support and transport anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars and heavy machine guns. Gun crews would need to be trained and provided with services such as transportation, supply and communications.
Specifications
- Name: Ordnance QF 95mm Infantry Howitzer
- Number built: 800
- Crew: 6
- Calibre: 95 mm (3.7 in)
- Barrel length: 85.5 in (2.2 m)
- Weight in action: 945 kg (2,083.4 lb)
- Elevation: -5 to +30 degrees
- Traverse: 8 degrees
- Rate of fire: 7 rounds per minute
- Muzzle velocity: 330 m/s (1,082.7 ft/s)
- Range: 7315 m (7,999.8 yd)
- Ammunition
- Smoke: smoke composition
- HE: AmatolAmatolAmatol is a highly explosive material made from a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate. Its name originates from the words ammonium and toluene...
filling with 12 oz cordite propellant, No. 119 fuze - HE/AT: pentolitePentolitePentolite is a high explosive used for military and civilian purposes e.g. warheads and booster charges.Military pentolite comprises a mixture of 50% PETN and 50% TNT. A 50:50 mixture has a density of 1.65 g/cm3 and a detonation velocity of 7400 m/s. Civilian pentolite sometimes contains a lower...
filling - HESH: