| M101/M101A1 105 mm Howitzer | |
|---|---|
 Marines from 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division fire an M101 105 mm Howitzer during the playing of taps at the Iwo Jima 60th Anniversary Commemorative on 26 March 2005 |
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| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | United States of America |
| Service history | |
| Used by |  USA |
| Wars | World War II Korean War First Indochina War Vietnam War Insurgency in the Philippines |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal |
| Produced | 1941-? |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2,260 kg (5,000 lb) |
| Length | 5.94 m (19.5 ft) |
| Barrel length | 22 calibre: 2.31 m (7.6 ft) |
| Width | 2.21 m (7.3 ft) |
| Height | 1.73 m (5.7 ft) |
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| Shell | 105x372R |
| Caliber | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Breech | horizontal block |
| Recoil | hydropneumatic, constant, 42 in (110 cm) |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -5° to +66° |
| Traverse | 46° |
| Muzzle velocity | 472 m/s (1,548 ft/s) |
| Maximum range | 11,270 m (7.00 mi) |
The 105 mm Howitzer M2A1(M101) was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theatres. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation for its accuracy and powerful punch. The M101 fired 105 mm high explosive (HE) semi-fixed ammunition and had a range of 11,200 metres (12,200 yd), making it suitable for supporting infantry.
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Widespread usage
All of these qualities of the weapon, along with its widespread production, led to its adoption by many countries after the war. Its ammunition type also became the standard for many foreign countries' later models. Minor changes were made after World War II, and the howitzer became known as the M101A1. It continued to see service in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Though a similar model, the M102 howitzer, shared the same roles in battle, it never fully replaced the M101. Today the 101A1 has been retired by the U.S. military, though it continues to see service with many other countries.
The Canadian Forces continued to use the M2A1 as the C1 Howitzer until 1997 when a modification was made to extend its service life. It is now designated the C3. Those improvements include a longer barrel, a muzzle brake, reinforced trails and the removal of shield flaps. It remains the standard light howitzer of Canadian reserve force units. France and the State of Vietnam used it during the First Indochina War.
A number of M2/M101 howitzers were used by Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and approximately 50 were inherited by Croatia of which 4 are still in use for training with the Croatian army. Yugoslavia manufactured the M101 as the M56, and 100 of these were inherited by Croatia.
M2 Howitzers are still in service in the Australian Army Reserve, albeit in small numbers. They are gradually being replaced by L118 Light Gun and M198 Howitzers.
(M56 is copy of German 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer not USA M101 but it use 105mm USA ammo)
This artillery piece was used by 67 countries:
Belgium
Burkina Faso
Senegal
Benin
Togo
Greece
Bahamas
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Croatia
Ecuador
El Salvador
France
Guatemala
Indonesia
Japan - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Lithuania
Macedonia[1]
Mexico
New Zealand
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Portugal
Uruguay
South Vietnam
Serbia
Cambodia
Yugoslavia
Australia
Thailand
Turkey
Myanmar
Republic of China - Republic of China Marine Corps
Pakistan - Pakistan Army
Many others
Variants
Gun variants:
- M1920 - prototype.[2]
- M1925E - prototype.[2]
- T2, standardized as M1.[2]
- M2 (1934) - minor changes to the chamber to allow use of fixed ammunition.[2]
- M2A1 (1940) - modified breech ring.[3]
- M3 - lightweight howitzer, with barrel shortened by 27 inches.
- T8, standardized as M4 - vehicle-mounted variant with modified breech and with cylindrical recoil surface.[4]:210
- M101 - post-war designation of M2A1 on carriage M2A1.
- M101A1 - post-war designation of M2A1 on carriage M2A2.
- C3 - Canadian C1 (M2A1) with lengthened, 33-caliber barrel
Carriage variants:
- M1920E - prototype, split trail.[2]
- M1921E - prototype, box trail.[2]
- M1925E - prototype, box trail.[2]
- T2, standardized as M1 - split trail, wooden wheels.[2]
- M1A1 - M1 carriages rebuilt with new wheels, brakes and other parts.[3]
- T3 - prototype.[2]
- T4 - prototype.[2]
- T5, standardized as M2 (1940) - split trail, steel wheels with pneumatic tires.[2]
- M2A1 - electric brakes removed.[5]
- M2A2 - modified shield.[5]
Self-propelled mounts
- Medium Tank M4A4E1 - M2A1 in mount T70.[4]:568
- Medium Tank M4(105), M4A3(105) - M4 in mount M52.[4]:568
- Medium/Heavy Tank M45 - M4 in mount M71.[6]:233
- Experimental mount on Holt tractor - M1920.[7]:317
- Experimental chassis designed by J Walter Christie - M1920.[7]:317
- 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T9 (based on Cletrac MG-2 tractor).[7]:329
- 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T19 (based on M3 halftrack) - M2A1.[8]:236
- 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T32 / M7 - M2A1.[4]:568
- 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T76 / M37 (Light Tank M24 chassis) - M4 in mount M5.[7]:329
- 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T88 (76mm GMC M18 chassis) - M4 in mount M20.[7]:334
Ammunition
The gun fired semi-fixed ammunition, with 105mm Cartridge Case M14. The propelling charge consisted of base charge and six increments, forming seven charges from 1 (the smallest) to 7 (the largest). Use of M1 HE rounds prepared for the 105mm howitzer M3 (same projectile and cartridge, but different propelling charge) was authorized.[9]
HEAT M67 Shell was originally designed as fixed round, with Cartridge Case M14 type II. It was later changed to semi-fixed type with the standard cartridge, but with non-adjustable propelling charge. For blank ammunition, a shorter Cartridge Case M15 with black powder charge was used.[9]
| Available ammunition[8]:236[9][10] | |||||
| Type | Model | Weight, kg (round/projectile) | Filler | Muzzle velocity, m/s | Range, m |
| HE | HE M1 Shell | 19.08 / 14.97 | TNT or 50/50 amatol, 2.18 kg | 472 | 11,160 |
| HEAT-T | HEAT M67 Shell | 16.71 / 13.25 | 381 | 7,854 | |
| Smoke | HC BE M84 Shell | 19.02 / 14.91 | Zinc chloride (HC) | 472 | 11,160 |
| Smoke, colored | BE M84 Shell | 17.86-18.04 / | Smoke mixture | ||
| Smoke | WP M60 Shell | 19.85 / 15.56 | White Phosphorus (WP), 1.84 kg | 472 | 11,110 |
| Smoke | FS M60 Shell | 20.09 / | Sulfur trioxide in Chlorosulfonic acid, 2.09 kg | ||
| Chemical | H M60 Shell | 19.43 / | Mustard gas, 1.44 kg | ||
| Practice | Empty M1 Shell | 472 | 11,160 | ||
| Drill | Drill Cartridge M14 | - | - | ||
| Blank | - | - | |||
| Armor penetration, mm[8]:236 | ||||
| Ammunition \ Distance, m | 0 | 457 | 914 | 1,828 |
| HEAT M67 Shell (meet angle 0°) | 102 | |||
| Concrete penetration, mm[8]:236 | ||||
| HE M1 Shell (meet angle 0°) | 457 | 427 | 396 | 335 |
| Different methods of measurement were used in different countries / periods. Therefore, direct comparison is often impossible. | ||||
See also
L118 Light Gun - Lightweight 105mm howitzer designed in the 1970s- LG1 - Modern lightweight 105mm howitzer
G7 - Modern 105 howitzer
Notes
- ^ http://www.vojska.net/eng/armed-forces/macedonia/equipment/artillery/
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hogg - Allied Artillery of World War Two, p 42-49.
- ^ a b Technical Manual TM 9-2005 volume 3, Infantry and Cavalry Accompanying Weapons.
- ^ a b c d Hunnicutt - Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank
- ^ a b Technical Manual TM 9-1325, 105mm Howitzers M2 and M2A1; Carriages M2A1 and M2A2; and Combat Vehicle Mounts M3 and M4.
- ^ Hunnicutt - Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series
- ^ a b c d e Hunnicutt - Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank
- ^ a b c d Hunnicutt - Half-Track: A History of American Semi-Tracked Vehicles
- ^ a b c Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition, p 167-178.
- ^ Technical Manual TM 9-1904, Ammunition Inspection Guide, p 471-484.
References
- Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War Two. Crowood Press, Ramsbury. ISBN 1-86126-165-9.
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (1971). Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series. Feist Publications.
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (1992). Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-462-2.
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (1994). Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-080-5.
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (2001). Half-Track: A History of American Semi-Tracked Vehicles. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-742-7.
- Technical Manual TM 9-1325, 105mm Howitzers M2 and M2A1; Carriages M2A1 and M2A2; and Combat Vehicle Mounts M3 and M4. War Department, 1944.
- Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition. War Department, 1944.
- Technical Manual TM 9-1904, Ammunition Inspection Guide. War Department, 1944.
- Technical Manual TM 9-2005 volume 3, Infantry and Cavalry Accompanying Weapons. War Department, 1942.
External links
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