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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Tanks -> Schneider 75mm gun
Post Info TOPIC: Schneider 75mm gun
Tim G


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Schneider 75mm gun
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I came across the following information in the Stern papers at the Liddell Hart Archives which I thought might interest some of you. It is an illustration of how inaccurate early tank guns were.
Several days after the 16 April 1917 tank attack, Estienne told a British delegation that the short 75mm gun was ‘inaccurate’ due to its low velocity. Without a telescope and a sight ‘there was little chance of them hitting a target even at 150 yards.’[1] The French considered that the 47mm gun with a 2-kilogram projectile was ‘infinitely superior.’[2] A handwritten report in the Stern papers, on the testing of various artillery pieces for the French tanks, suggests why the 47mm was not ultimately adopted. More importantly, it also illustrates how inaccurate all the guns used were. Firing from 100 metres at a square 17.5 metre sized target, the standard 75S gun managed only 2 hits out of 20 shells fired. However, the modified 75S scored 100% with 17 shells fired whereas the 47mm only managed 16 hits out of 19. The 47mm gun did have slightly better grouping than both versions of the 75S but, crucially, it had a markedly slower rate of fire.[3] As early as late 1916, Joffre had identified rapidity of fire as of great importance for a tank gun and as this thinking had not changed, the modified 75S continued in service.[4] 
[1] LHCMA - STERN 1/9/19.  [2] Ibid.   [3] Tir à l’arrete de 8 coups à 17.5 metres. Experience du 18 avril 1917 effectué à Cercottes. LHCMA - STERN 1/9/5.[4] AFGG V/1, annexes 1, no. 28.  

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I wonder if it was the sights not the gun that was the problem. There is a book called Firepower that did an analysis of how small things look to the naked eye when 450 feet away. Whilst this was looking at smooth bore napoleonic artillery there are some very telling photos of targets viewed down the barrel of a cannon over open sights. This includes a line of infantry in open order - the individuals look tiny. I note that the 75 with decent sights got a perfect hit rate but the same experiment does not seem to have been applied to the 47 ie improved sights. Looking at British accounts its note worthy that when firing at Anti Tank field guns case shot was used. of course the case used in the tanks was not true case (being more akin to a cross between grape and chain) and would have a much better carrying effect.

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