ID guns on these MCC trucks

[Ron Pier]

I just thought I'd post this picture of another Morris towing a gun. It's a MK2. 2 pounder like mine. I'll post a couple of pix in the 'GUN PARK'

Ron

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I know nothing about guns but 18-pounders makes sense judging by the pre-war Canadian papers relating to the 1937-8 Ford-Scammell and Chevrolet-Scammell tractors. The drawings for the bodies were supplied to Ottawa from the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich so this explains why they are so alike.
As it turned-out the 6-wheeler gun tractor was destined not to proceed and by 1939 the 4x4 tractor was the preferred option.

[Mike Cecil]

Gun, QF, 18-pdr Mk.1(P).

ie, a WW1 era Mk.1 18-pdr, 'pneumaticised' by convesion to pneumatic wheel/tyre combinations with high-speed axle with ball-type wheel bearings.

A salient feature is the single pole-trail.

Mike C

[Mike Cecil]

correction: cone-and-roller type wheel bearings.

QF is Quick Firing: ie the means of obturation is the expansion of the brass shell case against the breech. Ammunition was fixed type.

Gun had a comparatively low range of the angle of fire (+/_ horizontal): quite a contrast to its replacement, the 25-pdr 'gun-howitzer', which was much more versatile.

Mike C

[chrisgrove]

Pole trail limits elevation - hence reduces the range! Nice pics of Martin Parry conversion.

Chris

[Mike Cecil]

Yes, that's partly true, but there comes a point of elevation with a fixed cartridge (like the 18pdr) where further increasing the elevation actually decreases the range. I agree that the single pole trail design limited the elevation in the 18pdrs case to only +16 degrees, which in turn meant that for the 18pdr cartridge, the maximum range attainable was also limited.

The main problems with the limited range of elevation (-5 to +16 degrees on the 18 pdr Mk1) were crest clearance (getting a round over elevated terrain) and the inability to elevate sufficiently for 'plunging fire', ie getting the round coming back to earth at a high angle, which was much more effective when bombarding emplacements and fortifications.

Mike C

[Mike K]

Wiki does it again:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_QF_18_pounder

Nasty , the way the shell exploded, delivering a wave of lead/antimony bullets up to 300 yards away .

Mike