BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer

The Ordnance BL 6 inch 26cwt howitzer 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).

BL 6 inch 26 cwt Howitzer
A 6 inch 26 cwt on World War II pneumatic tyres at the Royal Artillery Museum.
TypeMedium howitzer
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service1916 to 1945
Used byUnited Kingdom
Canada
Union of South Africa
Australia
New Zealand
Italy
Netherlands
Belgium
Greece
Russian Empire
Portugal
Estonian Republic
WarsWorld War I
World War II
Production history
DesignerVickers
Designed1915
ManufacturerVickers, Beardmore, Coventry Ordnance Works, Woolwich Ordnance Factory, Midvale Steel Company
Produced1915 - ?
No. built3,633
Specifications
MassBarrel: 2,856 lb (1,295 kg)
Total: 8,142 lb (3,693 kg)
Length21 ft 7 in (6.58 m)
Barrel lengthBore: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Total: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) L/13.3
Width6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Crew10

ShellGas
Incendiary
High explosive
Shell weightWWI: 100 pounds (45.4 kg)
WWII: 86 pounds (39.0 kg)
Calibre6 in (152.4 mm)
BreechWelin screw
RecoilHydro-pneumatic, variable
CarriageBox trail
Elevation0° to +45°
Traverse4° L & R
Rate of fireMax: 2 rpm
Muzzle velocityMax: 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s)
Maximum firing rangeWWI 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)
SightsCalibrating (1930s) & reciprocating
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