De Bange 80mm gun converted in a QF system

Calibre :		80mm L/28.5
Weight in action :		1050 kg
Weight of the limber :		710 kg
Weight in marching order :		1760 kg
Weight of ammunition wagon :		1760 kg
Barrel length :		2.280 m
Barrel grooves	number :	24
	depth :	0.5 mm
	width :	8 mm
Projectiles :	weight :	6.5 kg
	muzzle velocity :	490 m/s
	max. range :	5500 m
Elevation :		- 8° / + 17°
Traversing angle :		5°
Ammunition :		limber – 32 shells wagon body – 64 shells
Remarks : According with Notions sur les Matériels d’Artilleries Étrangères, published by the French Artillery School in February 1918, the Serbian Army had also a “materiel de 80 de Bange, transformé par St-Chamond”. This account reported probably the changes proposed by the French to modernize these old guns and convert them in a quick-firing system, but rejected by the Serbian government. Since I have no validation about the accuracy of this plan, I simply translate the French text. The barrel was cut down at the powder chamber and provided with hoops supporting the recoil guides. It was equipped with a single action breech block system St. Chamond with centre-percussion firing gear. The carriage was a wholly new long recoil model, with hydropneumatic buffer and spring run-out gear, put in a trunnion cradle; traverse on axletree bed. It was equipped with the independent sight system St. Chamond. It employed fixed ammunition and probably fired the same projectiles as the Schneider 7.5mm field quick-firing gun adopted by the Serbian Army. Judging by the picture attaché, it was provided with shield. Reading this description and assuming that it was correct, it is easy to understand why the Serbian Army refused to introduce these changes : it would have been a rebuilding of the whole gun, keeping almost nothing of the original structure.