Historic context :

The need to modernize the Russian field artillery had been demonstrated during the war lost against Japan in 1904-1905. Facing the difficulties its own industry had to satisfy this program, the Russian government requested the help of the foreign companies. This is how the firm Krupp from Germany, and Schneider from France, strong competitors in the beginning of the XXth century, both designed and proposed a 122 mm (4.8 inches) howitzer, made it adopted and made it manufactured by Putilov under licence.

The Krupp '122mm Mle 1909' was a modern weapon equipped with the latest technologies of this start of the XXth century, with the typical choices of Krupp with the hydro-spring recoil recuperation system, the sliding block breech and the trunnions located far behind, below the breech. This latest characteristic was the answer of Krupp's engineers to the problem of the recoil of howitzers at high elevation angles and necessitated the addition of a spring compensation system for the tube balance.

Its performances were comparable to the ones of its French competitor '122mm Mle 1910'. This howitzer remained in service in the Soviet army after WW1 and was modernized in 1937 (mainly with a modification of the carriage - 122mm M1909/37).

Technical data :

• Complete description : 12 cm field howitzer M 1909
• Design year : 1909
• Calibre : 121.90 mm (4.8 inches)
• Weight in firing position : 1450 kg (M 1909/37)
• Weight for transportation :
• Tube length in calibres : 12.00 (rifled part) - 14 calibres total length
• Grooves : 0 unknown
• Projectile weight : 21.76 kg
• Initial speed : 364 m/s
• Fire rate : 2 rounds / minute
• Range : 8900 m
• Elevation range : -1 to +43 degrés
• Direction range : 4 degrees total range