4.5 inch Gun M1

Infobox Weapon
name=4.5 inch Gun M1 on Carriage M1


caption=4.5 inch Gun M1 at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, OK.
origin=USA
type=field gun
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1942-1945
used_by=flag|USA
wars=WWII
designer=
design_date=1939-1941
manufacturer=
production_date=1942-44
number=416
variants=
weight=5,654 kg (12,465 lbs)
length=8.15 m (27 ft)
part_length=bore: 4,756 mm / 41.6 calibers
overall: 4.918 mm (16 ft) / 43 calibers
width=2.4 m (7.87 ft)
height=2.12 m (7 ft)
crew=
cartridge=separate-loading bagged charge
caliber=114 mm / 4.5 inch
action=
rate=burst: 4 rounds per minute
sustained: 1 round per minute
velocity=693 m/s (2,274 ft/s)
range=
max_range=19,317 m (2,125 yds)
feed=
sights=panoramic, M12
breech=interrupted screw
recoil=hydropneumatic
carriage=split trail
elevation=0° to +65°
traverse=53°
blade_type=
hilt_type=
sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
armour=
primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
engine_power=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
vehicle_range=
speed=

The 4.5 inch Gun M1 was a field gun developed in the United States in the beginning of World War II. It shared the same carriage with the 155mm Howitzer M1 and fired the same ammunition as the British BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun. The weapon was used by the US Army in Northwest Europe late in the war for corps support; with the end of hostilities it was declared obsolete.

Development and production

In 1920 the US Army Ordnance started to work on a new medium field gun. Since the US Army had already employed the 4.7 inch Gun Model 1906 during World War I, this caliber was also selected for the new weapon. The development resulted in 4.7 inch Gun M1922E on Carriage M1921E. Due to lack of funding, the design never reached production.Hogg - "Allied Artillery of World War II", p 50-51.] Zaloga - "US Field Artillery of World War II", p 18-19.]

In 1939 the program was restarted; the renewed design, designated 4.7 inch Gun T3, was ready by early 1940; it utilized the same carriage as the concurrently developed 155 mm howitzer. At this stage, the army decided to change the weapon to use the British 4.5 inch ammunition. The modified gun was standardized in April 1941 as 4.5 inch Gun M1 on Carriage M1.

The production started in September 1942 and continued until February 1944.

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Notes

References

* cite book
last = Hogg
first = Ian V.
authorlink = Ian V. Hogg
coauthors =
others =
title = Allied Artillery of World War Two
publisher = Crowood Press, Ramsbury
series =
date = 1998
isbn = 1-86126-165-9
* cite book
last = Hunnicutt
first = R. P.
authorlink =
coauthors =
others =
title = Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank
publisher = Presidio Press
series =
date = 1992
isbn = 0-89141-462-2
* cite book
last = Zaloga
first = Steven J.
authorlink = Steven Zaloga
coauthors =
others = illustrated by Brian Delf
title = US Field Artillery of World War II
publisher = Osprey Publishing
series = New Vanguard 131
date = 2007
isbn = 978-1-84603-061-1
* cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
others =
title = Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition
publisher = War Department, 1944
series =
date =
isbn =
* cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
others =
title = Technical Manual TM 9-1904, Ammunition Inspection Guide
publisher = War Department, 1944
series =
date =
isbn =
* cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
others =
title = Technical Manual TM 9-2005 volume 3, Infantry and Cavalry Accompanying Weapons
publisher = War Department, 1942
series =
date =
isbn =
* cite web
title=Anderson, Rich - "US Army in World War II" at MilitaryHistoryOnline website
url=http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/usarmy/artillery.aspx
accessdate=2007-11-20