M1 A1 155mm Towed Howitzer
"The Chief"
First produced in 1942 as the M1 Howitzer. After WW II it was re-designated as the Howitzer, Medium, Towed 155mm, It was a mainstay of the Army’s field artillery for 40 years, including its use in World War II, the Korean War and in Vietnam.
The M114 was produced as the M1 A1 variant by Rock Island Arsenal and was replaced by the M198 howitzer starting in 1982.
The M1 A1 required a crew of 11 men, had a range of 14 miles, and could maintain a sustained rate of fire of 40 rounds per hour.
MILITARY VEHICLE HISTORY
The Gun is believed to have been used during WW2 but where and by whom is unknown. It’s then believed (Unconfirmed) that it went to the Italian Army after WW2, as did a lot of Artillery. Nothing is known about its history until 1991 when it was confiscated by the IFOR/SFOR (United nations) During the Yugoslavian War. The Serbs were ordered to assemble all of their artillery at a camp in Bilea which was the main artillery depot of the region. It’s believed that the weapons were then sorted for decommissioning or destruction. This howitzer was obviously decommissioned and removed from the country and brought into the UK with one other Howitzer. These are the only 2 M1 A1 155mm Howitzers in private hands in the UK .
The Gun is believed to have been used during WW2 but where and by whom is unknown. It’s then believed (Unconfirmed) that it went to the Italian Army after WW2, as did a lot of Artillery. Nothing is known about its history until 1991 when it was confiscated by the IFOR/SFOR (United nations) During the Yugoslavian War. The Serbs were ordered to assemble all of their artillery at a camp in Bilea which was the main artillery depot of the region. It’s believed that the weapons were then sorted for decommissioning or destruction. This howitzer was obviously decommissioned and removed from the country and brought into the UK with one other Howitzer. These are the only 2 M1 A1 155mm Howitzers in private hands in the UK .
| M114 15mm HOWITZER | |
| Type | Howitzer |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | USA |
| In service | 1942–present |
| Wars | World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Lebanese Civil War,Yugoslavian war |
| Designed | 1939–1941 |
| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal (US) |
| Produced | 1941–1953 |
| Number built | 10,300+ |
| Variants | none |
| Weight | Travel: 5,800 kg (12,800 lb) Combat: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb) |
| Length | Travel: 7.315 m (20 ft) |
| Barrel length | Bore: 3.564 m (11 ft 8 in) L/23 Overall: 3.79 m (12 ft 5 in) L/24.5 |
| Width | Travel: 2.438 m (8 ft) |
| Height | Travel: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Crew | 11 |
| Shell | separate-loading bagged charge |
| Caliber | 155 mm (6.1 in) |
| Breech | slow-cone interrupted screw |
| Recoil | hydropneumatic system |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -2°/+63° |
| Traverse | 25° left or right |
| Rate of fire | burst: 4 rpm sustained: 40 rph |
| Muzzle velocity | 563 m/s (1,847 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 14,600 m (16,000 yd) |