The 25pdr - supergun
 

Hello Norm,

All artillery shells make a noise as they pass through the air. This is caused by the driving band at the base of the shell. The driving band is made of a soft alloy, usually brass, and it engages the rifling in the barrel and seals the gasses in the chamber. The driving band and rifling also imparts the spin to the shell which serves to stabilize it in flight. After leaving the barrel the driving band is left damaged by the rifling, and that produces the noise.

On guns like the 25pdr and the American and German 105’s, you can adjust the amount of propellant. In the 25pdr there were four charge bags. The muzzle velocities were as followers:

Charge 1 - 200m/sec
Charge 2 - 300m/sec
Charge 3 - 450m/sec
Supercharge - 520m/sec

In the 105mm C1 that I worked on there were seven charge bags.

The best feature of the 25pdr was its barrel design. The gun was heavy for its size, but its barrel life was unmatched by any other gun. It could be fired until its barrel starts to glow red. Then the crew would quench it with water and start firing it again. No other gun could stand up to that type of punishment.

John

A little off topic, but don't you just love automatic 'swear word' editors? I've just noticed that the Royal Artillery motto in one of my previous posts hasn't escaped!
Not sure that my old RSM (Steel by name and steel by nature) would agree with that!! LOL

Re: Re: Units of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
 

YIKES and :eek: :bang: Lessee now ... which one could it be :confused: :D

Ma :yappy:

Re: Ww2 Rca Gunner
 

Hi Karmen;

Dumb question, do you know if he served in the "Active" or "Reserve" Army during the war years.

Cheers :)

Re: The 25pdr - supergun
 

The 25pdr and the steadfast gunners were true workhorses of the PBI's. Many times I have read accounts of German POW's wanting to see our "automatic" artillery :) A 25 pdr armed with a trained crew rained hell upon our foes.

Re: Re: The 25pdr - supergun
 

Blackburn reports the record for one 4th Field gun was an astonishing 17 rounds in one minute (timed). The volume of ammunition they went through, throughout the NW Europe campaign, is astounding.

"MIKE TARGET! MIKE TARGET! MIKE TARGET! SCALE TEN, REPEAT!"

Re: Re: Ww2 Rca Gunner
 

Hi Mark,

Sorry, but I don't know. I don't have his service record number yet and am trying to find out what it is. I may be requesting Uncle John's Service Records from the National Archives but need to see if I can find an obituary with his death date (I know the year, not the day) or find his serv. numb. for them.

I'm working on finding out this stuff.

Karmen

Re: Service Records
 

Karmen,

It's been my experience that while a Service Number helps, it's not required to get a copy of his records. As long as you can provide enough info that they can be sure they have the right guy, that should be enough. I've had past success with just

Name
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Name of Parents
Branch of Service
Dates of Service (pretty rough guesses in some cases)

That, along with proof that he's been deceased for more than 20 years (obit or death certificate) should be enough.

Re: Re: Service Records
 

Thanks a lot Kevin,

I'll have to try and come up with his obituary, which may be difficult as I only have the year "1974" ... but there was sure to be an obituary in the Winnipeg Free Press. Too bad that Manitoba's Vital Statistics online database for births doesn't show any info less than 100 years old ... Uncle John born 1913. Don' know his birthplace either. Am putting feelers out in the family in case someone remembers anything too.

Hmmmm ... :idea: ... I just recalled a lady from backhome who is into geneology ... maybe she's come across this info? Thanks for reminding me about Adele!!!! :D

WW2 RCA gunnery
 

John
Another quick question....
I was told that that aucellating wurring sound coming from a 25pnd shell might be the brass rings breaking free of the shell in flight. Do you know if this was the case???:confused: :confused:

The “brass rings” must be referring to the driving band. While it is chewed up and left serrated by the riflings, I have never heard of then breaking up or coming off in flight. If this would happen I think it would have an adverse effect on the accuracy of the shell.

Well .... hot damn ...
 

Whoever was just reading this thread, I thank you for bringing it to light for me to read again ...

You MLU people and "the history you all bring home to me to share" is something else.

No good deed goes un-blessed ;)