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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 780)
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France

Canon de 75mm Mle 1912 Schneider PD13bis

Light artillery

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(Wikimedia commons) Halibutt      http://commons.wikimedia.org/
     
     
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Location :
Poland
Varsovia
Military Museum
Coordinates : Lat : 52.18190 / Long : 21.06790
General comments on this surviving gun :


Identical items in the same location : 1
Items covered by this file : 1

Rare survivor, given by France to Poland for the fight against bolcheviks in 1919.

Barrel markings : 'Nr 21 - 75 mle 1912 Schneider - Le Creusot - 1913'.


Historic and technical information
Denomination :     75 Mle 1912 (Schneider PD13bis) Origin :       ( Schneider)          

Historic context :

The Schneider Works, in Le Creusot, pride of the private mecanic and metallurgy industry in France, launched themselves in the manufacturing of artillery material from 1870.

The prolific designers lead by the famous engineer Gustave Canet (1846-1913) invented numerous modern guns for exportation to France friendly countries. As an example, the canon de campagne de 76.2mm PD13 ('PD' = 'Puissant, Ligne de mire organisée pour la Division des opérations de pointage') was developped for Russia and was equipped with a hydro-pneumatic recoil recuperation system close to the one in use with the famous 75 Mle 1897 (hydraulic brake and pneumatic recuperator, but independant systems) and a quick manoeuvring Schneider interrupted screw breech.

Some of these guns developped before the war were opportunistically adopted by the French Army after some needed adaptations, when the war became likely or after the start of it.

This was the case for this good gun whose light weight allowed its use in the cavalry divisions artillery units, the 75 Mle 1897 field gun being too heavy. It was therefore adopted by the French Army in spring 1912, after the modification of the 76.2 original calibre to the French reglementary 75 mm (allowing the use of the 75 Mle 1897 ammunitions), and the shortening of the barrel (from an initial 27 to 25.4 calibres). The new weapon took the name canon de campagne de 76.2mm PD13bis in the Schneider catalog, and Canon de Campagne de 75mm Mle 1912 Schneider in the French Army nomenclature.

Available in small quantities in the French cavalry divisions in August 1914, it was subject to two additional orders after the war outbreak (12 batteries ordered in September 1914 and delivered from summer 1915, a nd 200 guns ordered in May 1915 and delivered from mid 1916).

The Serbian Army also received this type of guns, initially slightly modified to the Serbian specification and taking the name canon de campagne de 76.2mm PD13ter in the Schneider catalog, and after the winter 1915 disaster, PD13bis types with the French Army specification.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 75 mm fieldgun M 1912 - Schneider PD13 bis
  • Design year : 1912
  • Calibre : 75.00 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 960 kg
  • Weight for transportation : 1550 kg with ammo trailer
  • Tube length in calibres : 25.40 (19.3 calibres for the rifled part only)
  • Grooves : 24 constant angle 7 degrees
  • Projectile weight : 5.3 kg (obus explosif normal) / 7.24 kg (obus à balles) / 7.98 kg (obus explosif allongé) / etc...
  • Initial speed : 515 m/s
  • Fire rate : 15 to 18 rounds / min
  • Range : 7500 m
  • Elevation range : -8 to +17 degrees
  • Direction range : 9 degrees total range


Sources
  • Les canons de la Victoire 1914-1918 - Tome I - L'Artillerie de campagne           Pierre Touzin       François Vauvillier             Histoire et Collection   2006  
  • Les Canons de la Victoire, 5ème édition du Manuel d'Artillerie Lourde, revue et considérablement augmentée       Colonel Alvin       Commandant André             Henri Charles-Lavauzelle et Cie   1923  
  • Schneider et Compagnie - Matériels d'artillerie mis en service sur les fronts alliés 1914 - 1917       Collectif                     1917  
  • Schneider et Compagnie - Matériels d'artillerie et bateaux de Guerre       Collectif                   Imprimerie Générale Lahure   1914