Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1901
The Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1901 (Also known as the 7.5 cm feltkanon m/01 or the M/01 7.5 cm (2.95 in) field gun) was a field gun designed and built by the German company Rheinische Metallwaren- und Maschinenfabrik and sold to Norway in 1901. It remained the main field artillery gun of the Norwegian Army until the German invasion of Norway in 1940. The Germans impressed the surviving guns and used them in Norway for the duration of the Second World War. They equipped German units in Norway and were used as coastal artillery guns; a number were even modified for use as anti-tank guns. A dozen guns were transferred by the Norwegian government to Finland during the Winter War and were used by them during the Continuation War as well.
| Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1901 | |
|---|---|
Model 1901 on display in Trondheim, Norway. | |
| Type | field gun |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1901–1947 |
| Used by | Norway Finland Nazi Germany |
| Wars | Winter War Second World War Continuation War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rheinmetall |
| Manufacturer | Rheinmetall |
| No. built | 138 |
| Variants | Horse- or lorry-drawn |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,037 kilograms (2,286 lb) |
| Barrel length | 2.167 metres (7 ft 1 in) L/31 |
| Shell | 6.5 kilograms (14 lb) shell, QF 75 x 278 mm R cartridge |
| Caliber | 75 mm (2.95 in) |
| Breech | Nordenfelt eccentric screw |
| Recoil | Hydro-spring |
| Carriage | Pole trail |
| Elevation | 7° to +15.5° |
| Traverse | 7° |
| Rate of fire | 8 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 500 m/s (1,640 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 10,000 metres (11,000 yd) |
The Model 1901 guns were obsolescent already during the inter-war period and were retired from active use by the Norwegians shortly after the end of the Second World War. Model 1901s are still employed as saluting guns at fortresses in Norway.