BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer
| BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer | |
|---|---|
A 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer on World War II pneumatic tyres at the Royal Artillery Museum. | |
| Type | Medium howitzer |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1916 – 1945 |
| Used by | |
| Wars | World War I World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Vickers |
| Designed | 1915 |
| Manufacturer | |
| Produced | 1915 – ? |
| No. built | 3,633 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Total: 8,142 lb (3,693 kg) Barrel: 2,856 lb (1,295 kg) |
| Length | 21 ft 7 in (6.58 m) |
| Barrel length | Total: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) Bore: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) L/13.3 |
| Width | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Crew | 10 |
| Shell | Gas Incendiary High explosive |
| Shell weight | WWI: 100 pounds (45.4 kg) WWII: 86 pounds (39.0 kg) |
| Calibre | 6 in (152.4 mm) |
| Breech | Welin screw |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic, variable |
| Carriage | Box trail |
| Elevation | 0° to +45° |
| Traverse | 4° L & R |
| Rate of fire | Max: 2 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | Max: 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | WWI 100 pounds (45.4 kg) shell : 9,500 yards (8,700 m) WWII 86 pounds (39.0 kg) shell : 11,400 yards (10,400 m) |
| Sights | Calibrating (1930s) & reciprocating |
The Ordnance BL 6-inch 26cwt howitzer, officially BL 6-inch 26cwt howitzer Mk I on Carriage Mk I, was a British howitzer used during World War I and World War II. The qualifier "26cwt" refers to the weight of the barrel and breech together which weighed 26 long hundredweight (1.3 t).