Schneider ammunition wagon for howitzers
The Schneider ammunition wagon for 120mm howitzer The ammunition
wagon of the Schneider 120mm howitzer (O.C. 120 N° 2) was composed by the
limber and the caisson. It was drawn by a team of six horses. Both the limber
and the caisson were made entirely of steel, with the exception of wheels and
poles. The gun and the wagon limbers were the same, but the compartments of
limbers and caissons carrying with torpedo shells differed from those
carrying shrapnel and were weightier. The limber was
composed by the chest, the kit holders, the axle with two wheels, the pole,
the knapsack-rack with grid to carry the gunners luggage, and miscellaneous hardware, like stakes,
picketing-ropes, etc. The limber had
both spring draught-loops and a spring limber hook. It was seated for three
gunners. Beyond 10 rounds, it contained the charges, tools and spare parts. The caisson
was made like a tip-cart, so that it could be tilted into a vertical position
beside the gun. This entailed carrying the ammunition vertically when
travelling. The bottom of the wagon body was armoured and the bullets-proof
doors opened outwards, giving a wide protected area for the three men who
were employed in preparing and supplying ammunition. The steel has the same
thickness as the gun-shield, namely Each round was
contained in a separate tube of bronze fixed in the ammunition box. In order
to admit a quick handling, the ammunition was carried in a horizontal
position. Beyond 24 rounds, it contained 8 cases containing 3 charges each,
cartridges each, boxes, weapons, tools, and complements. The howitzer
adopted by the Serbian Army (O.C. 120 N° 6) was very similar, but was
heavier, having a thicker shield ( The Schneider ammunition wagon for 150mm howitzer The ammunition
wagon of the Schneider 150mm howitzer was composed by the limber and the
caisson and was similar to the wagon used for the 120mm howitzer. But in
order to reduce the weight of the howitzer in marching order, the gun limber
had not the ammunition box, but was composed by a simple chassis with hook,
balance, and shaft to join the howitzer. Both the gun
limber and the ammunition wagon were used by the Serbian and Romanian Army.
In 1907 the Bulgarian Army bought 72 of these wagons for its 150mm howitzers,
recently modernized. However the 150mm Schneider howitzers used by Bulgarian
Army had a different gun limber, which carried 5 rounds. It weighted |
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120 N° 2 |
120 N° 6 |
150 N° 5 |
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shrapnel |
H.E. shell |
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shrapnel |
H.E. shell |
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gun limber |
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ammunition : |
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wagon limber |
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ammunition : |
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loaded : |
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wagon body |
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ammunition : |
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loaded : |
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wagon |
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ammunition : |
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loaded : |
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armoured observatory : |
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armour |
thickness : |
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rounds |
on the limber : |
10 |
10 |
8 |
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on the caisson : |
24 |
24 |
16 |
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