Cannone da 149/35 A

The Cannone da 149/35 A was a heavy gun which served with Italy during World War I and World War II. It was already an old-fashioned weapon when introduced around 1900. It lacked a recoil system of any kind and could not traverse. The gun recoiled up two ramps placed behind the wheels and had to be re-laid after every shot. Wheel plates were added to absorb more recoil energy and to help the gun cross soft ground. Despite these serious drawbacks, being cheap and easy to manufacture, the gun was produced in large numbers and saw extensive use during World War I. Some 895 were still in Italian service in June 1940 and saw use in World War II in Italy and North Africa, as well for coastal defense in France and the Balkans. Weapons captured by the Germans after the Italian surrender in 1943 seem to have been scrapped or ignored as there is no record of them in German service.

Cannone da 149/35 A
A cannone da 149/35 A in Redipuglia
TypeHeavy gun
Place of originItaly
Service history
In service1900-1945
Used byItaly
WarsWorld War I, World War II
Production history
No. builtunknown; 870 guns available in June 1940 (plus 28 in fixed armored turrets) [1]
Specifications
Mass8,220 kilograms (18,120 lb)
Barrel length5.722 metres (18.77 ft) L/38.7

Shell45.96 kilograms (101.3 lb)
Caliber149.1 mm (5.87 in)
Recoilnone
CarriageBox trail
Elevation–10° to +35°
Traverse
Rate of fire1 rpm
Muzzle velocity651 m/s (2,136 ft/s)
Maximum firing range16,500 metres (18,000 yd)

The 149/35 was intended to replace the older Cannone da 149/23[2] which had been introduced in the Italian army in 1882.[3][4]

References

  1. "CANNONE DA 149/35 MODELLO 1901 - Quartermaster Section".
  2. "Canon de 149/35". Archived from the original on 2017-09-13. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  3. Luca Girotto (2002). 1866-1918: Soldati e fortezze tra Asiago ed il Grappa. Rossato. p. 63. ISBN 978-88-8130-080-8.
  4. "Swisscom - Webhosting". Archived from the original on 2017-09-13. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  • Chamberlain, Peter & Gander, Terry. Heavy Artillery. New York: Arco, 1975 ISBN 0-668-03898-5
149/35A howitzer during World War I in the Carnian Alps
Side view of a 15 GRC Ret (later known as Cannone da 149G and it:149/23), dating back to 1882


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