Spanish 75mm Howitzers NEED HELP

[carl brown]

Hi All

I am having difficulty identifying these weapons. They are both marked 75/22, one is built in Trubia in 1941 and one is built in Seville in 1944.

I have been told they could be German built Spanish copies of the Schneider 75/28 M 1912 ?

Any one got any ideas or clues ?

Carl

[carl brown]

Here is another picture of the 2 howitzers.

[Ivica]

Hello, I just joined in.

This gun originated from 105mm Schneider Mle 1919 mountain howitzer (Spanish: Obús Schneider para montaña 105/11 modelo 1919 – see: http://perso.wanadoo.es/padron/artilleria/pieza202.html ).

In 1919 Spain was one of first customers of these guns (alongside Chile). First examples were bought, but later the license was obtained, so manufacture started at Trubia Arsenal (Sevilla). Main purpose was to replace older and weaker 7-cm mountain gun M.1908 (also Schneider product), especially for current warfare in Spanish Marocco.

Same guns are later used in SCW, both by Republicans and Nationalists, where barrels became worn-out, plus the max. range was found rather short. To cure these problems, Trubia Arsenal later developed new mountain gun model, Cañon de Montaña 75/22 modelo 41. This one used newly made 75mm barrels (L/22) on modified Schneider Mle 1919 mechanics, with ballistic characteristics similar to the most modern mountain guns of this period (Bofors M.32 and Skoda C5 – both 75mm with L/22 barrels). Firstly produced guns were re-worked worn-out modelo 1919 howitzers, but later production switched to completely new-made ones (I also found “Cañon de Montaña 75/22 modelo 43” lebel).
See: http://personales.ya.com/amonio/obus_montana_105_11.htm

Story was not over, however. In early 1950s major update model was produced - Cañón Montaña 75/22 Modelo 1951 (see: http://perso.wanadoo.es/padron/artilleria/pieza233.html ), with new carriage, rubber tires, modified cradle and with muzzle brake on barrel, amongst other things. However, with ballistics not much improved over older modelo 1941 and (now) weak 75mm round, it had rather short carrier, being replaced by ubiquitous 105mm Oto Melara M.56 pack howitzer in 1960s.

Regards,

Edge/Antic

[Ivica]

Me again!

If you need tech specs for Cañon de Montaña 75/22 modelo 41, see: http://perso.wanadoo.es/padron/artilleria/pieza201.html

However, notice that caption in headline is not correct (but bellow picture is OK) – as I mentioned above, “Cañon de Montaña modelo 1908 Schneider” was 70mm-calibre gun (or “70/16” in Spanish nomenclature).
For M.1908 see: http://personales.ya.com/amonio/canon_7016.htm

Regards,

Edge/Antic

[carl brown]

Many thanks for the information and technical specs. At last I know what they are.

Would you consider these to be rare and collectable or are there many examples around ?

Regards

Carl

[Ivica]

I think there is quite a number of these guns still existing in Spain.

(even found some guns of this type are used for ceremonial purposes recently - see photo)