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10.5 cm leFH 18
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10.5 cm leFH 18
The 10.5 cm leFH 18 (German: leichte Feldhaubitze "light field howitzer") is a German light howitzer used in World War II and the standard artillery piece of the Wehrmacht, adopted for service in 1935 and used by all divisions and artillery battalions. From 1935 to the end of the war, 11,848 were produced, along with 10,265 of the leFH 18/40 variant.
Designed in the late 1920s, it represented a major advance on its predecessor the 10.5 cm leFH 16. It was superior in caliber to its early opponents in the war, with adequate range and firepower, but the modern split trail gun carriage that provided it with more stability and traverse also rendered it overly heavy for a mobile role in the largely horse-drawn artillery battalions of the German army, particularly in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front.
The leFH 18 was further developed as the leFH 18M and leFH 18/40. Beginning in 1942, self-propelled versions were created by fitting the howitzer on a Panzer II, H35, Char B1 or 37L chassis. It was also used to equip German allies and neutral countries in Europe prior to and during the war.
During the 1920s, the Reichswehr carried out analyses that indicated the 105 mm projectile was more effective than a 75 mm equivalent, without a major increase in cost. On 1 June 1927, the Army Ordnance Office (Heereswaffenamt) issued Secret Command Matter No. 59/27, calling for the development of a new light field howitzer. The project was assigned Priority Level II, "most important work". Rheinmetall-Borsig of Düsseldorf drew up the blueprints and made the initial calculations in 1928. Design work was complete in 1930, with production commencing in the early 1930s.
At the outbreak of World War II, the Wehrmacht had 4,862 leFH 18 howitzers. Deliveries from September 1939–February 1945 totaled 6,933 "leFH 18 on wheeled carriages". Rheinmetall and Krupp were the initial manufacturers, but by 1942 demand was exceeding output so they relocated all production to six firms in Plzeň, Altona, Elbing, Magdeburg, Dortmund and Borsigwalde. In 1943, the howitzer cost on average 16,400 RM, 6 months and 3,200 man hours to make.
The leFH 18 improved in most areas on its predecessor, the 10.5 cm leFH 16. A completely new three-point split trail gun carriage provided more stability and increased the traverse to 56 degrees. The sighting mechanism made it easier to fire at moving targets. The new gun carriage resulted in a major weight increase to over two tons. The heavier recoil of the higher muzzle velocity of 470 m/s was counteracted by a new pneumatic recuperator above the barrel, that provided compressed air and liquid in 55 °C to return the gun to firing position after firing. A barrel brake containing a water jacket and a fluid equalizer in the upper carriage also checked the recoil. The gun shield was a reinforced, tapered shield with flattened sides that could be folded down. The barrel was good for 10,000 to 12,000 shots. The howitzer could fire 28 different shell types. The main high explosive shell was nearly a kilogram lighter and contained a heavier explosive charge.[clarification needed] The leFH proved an adaptable design, with a total of 28 different variants manufactured.
One issue with the design of the gun was that it was fairly heavy for a weapon of its class. This was because the weapon was designed to have a solid construction, which increased the weight. This was not seen as a concern at the time, as it was assumed that there would be an adequate supply of motor vehicles to tow it.
The pre-production wooden-spoke wheels were replaced beginning in 1936 with more durable light-metal cast wheel discs[clarification needed] and removable tires that made the howitzer easier to tow. The motorized version was fitted with wider solid-rubber tires. A combination of wooden wheels and rubber tires was a frequent occurrence. Towards the end of the war, even older wooden wheels from the leFH 16 were used. The howitzer was designed from the start to be transported either by horse or motor vehicle. The heavy weight made horse-drawn transport difficult, especially in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front. The motorized version was attached directly without a limber to either a Sd.Kfz. 6 or Sd.Kfz. 11 prime mover and could easily achieve a march speed of 40 km/h, equivalent to a day's march by a horse-drawn battery. Although the Sd.Kfz. 6 was intended as the primary motor transport for the howitzer, the lighter Sd.Kfz. 11 could also achieve the same task. A motorized leFH 18 battery had a radius of action 10 times greater than a horse-drawn one and required 49 fewer personnel.
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10.5 cm leFH 18 AI simulator
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10.5 cm leFH 18
The 10.5 cm leFH 18 (German: leichte Feldhaubitze "light field howitzer") is a German light howitzer used in World War II and the standard artillery piece of the Wehrmacht, adopted for service in 1935 and used by all divisions and artillery battalions. From 1935 to the end of the war, 11,848 were produced, along with 10,265 of the leFH 18/40 variant.
Designed in the late 1920s, it represented a major advance on its predecessor the 10.5 cm leFH 16. It was superior in caliber to its early opponents in the war, with adequate range and firepower, but the modern split trail gun carriage that provided it with more stability and traverse also rendered it overly heavy for a mobile role in the largely horse-drawn artillery battalions of the German army, particularly in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front.
The leFH 18 was further developed as the leFH 18M and leFH 18/40. Beginning in 1942, self-propelled versions were created by fitting the howitzer on a Panzer II, H35, Char B1 or 37L chassis. It was also used to equip German allies and neutral countries in Europe prior to and during the war.
During the 1920s, the Reichswehr carried out analyses that indicated the 105 mm projectile was more effective than a 75 mm equivalent, without a major increase in cost. On 1 June 1927, the Army Ordnance Office (Heereswaffenamt) issued Secret Command Matter No. 59/27, calling for the development of a new light field howitzer. The project was assigned Priority Level II, "most important work". Rheinmetall-Borsig of Düsseldorf drew up the blueprints and made the initial calculations in 1928. Design work was complete in 1930, with production commencing in the early 1930s.
At the outbreak of World War II, the Wehrmacht had 4,862 leFH 18 howitzers. Deliveries from September 1939–February 1945 totaled 6,933 "leFH 18 on wheeled carriages". Rheinmetall and Krupp were the initial manufacturers, but by 1942 demand was exceeding output so they relocated all production to six firms in Plzeň, Altona, Elbing, Magdeburg, Dortmund and Borsigwalde. In 1943, the howitzer cost on average 16,400 RM, 6 months and 3,200 man hours to make.
The leFH 18 improved in most areas on its predecessor, the 10.5 cm leFH 16. A completely new three-point split trail gun carriage provided more stability and increased the traverse to 56 degrees. The sighting mechanism made it easier to fire at moving targets. The new gun carriage resulted in a major weight increase to over two tons. The heavier recoil of the higher muzzle velocity of 470 m/s was counteracted by a new pneumatic recuperator above the barrel, that provided compressed air and liquid in 55 °C to return the gun to firing position after firing. A barrel brake containing a water jacket and a fluid equalizer in the upper carriage also checked the recoil. The gun shield was a reinforced, tapered shield with flattened sides that could be folded down. The barrel was good for 10,000 to 12,000 shots. The howitzer could fire 28 different shell types. The main high explosive shell was nearly a kilogram lighter and contained a heavier explosive charge.[clarification needed] The leFH proved an adaptable design, with a total of 28 different variants manufactured.
One issue with the design of the gun was that it was fairly heavy for a weapon of its class. This was because the weapon was designed to have a solid construction, which increased the weight. This was not seen as a concern at the time, as it was assumed that there would be an adequate supply of motor vehicles to tow it.
The pre-production wooden-spoke wheels were replaced beginning in 1936 with more durable light-metal cast wheel discs[clarification needed] and removable tires that made the howitzer easier to tow. The motorized version was fitted with wider solid-rubber tires. A combination of wooden wheels and rubber tires was a frequent occurrence. Towards the end of the war, even older wooden wheels from the leFH 16 were used. The howitzer was designed from the start to be transported either by horse or motor vehicle. The heavy weight made horse-drawn transport difficult, especially in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front. The motorized version was attached directly without a limber to either a Sd.Kfz. 6 or Sd.Kfz. 11 prime mover and could easily achieve a march speed of 40 km/h, equivalent to a day's march by a horse-drawn battery. Although the Sd.Kfz. 6 was intended as the primary motor transport for the howitzer, the lighter Sd.Kfz. 11 could also achieve the same task. A motorized leFH 18 battery had a radius of action 10 times greater than a horse-drawn one and required 49 fewer personnel.
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