Welcome to “Fire Mission Battery!” A podcast history of artillery.
I’m your host Jon Moore
What is a Mountain Gun?
From the Wikipedia site:
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Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are generally capable of being taken apart to make smaller loads for transport by horses, humans, mules, tractors or trucks. As such, they are sometimes called “pack guns” or “pack howitzers”.
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They are therefore, a specialised form of field gun for use in areas where there aren’t many fields, so to speak.
They are lighter, generally but still contain all the elements of a field gun. Those elements, in the black powder, muzzle loading era are:
- A barrel,
- A carriage to carry the barrel,
- A means of raising and lowering the angle of the barrel,
- Sights,
- Wheels attached to the carriage to move the thing about.
Mountain artillery played a crucial role in the warfare of the 17th to 19th centuries, enabling armies to navigate difficult terrain and engage enemy forces from high vantage points. The development of mountain artillery from 1650 to 1900 was marked by several key innovations that greatly enhanced the mobility, range and firepower of these weapons.
Prior to 1650, mountain warfare was often conducted with small, mobile artillery pieces that could be easily transported by mules or other pack animals. These guns typically had short barrels and low muzzle velocities, limiting their range and accuracy. However, as armies began to face more challenging terrain and enemy fortifications, they needed artillery that could keep up with infantry and cavalry units while still providing effective fire support.
The first major innovation in mountain artillery came in the late 17th century with the introduction of the so-called “Swedish” gun. This type of artillery piece had a longer barrel than previous mountain guns and a higher muzzle velocity, enabling it to fire more accurately at longer ranges. The Swedish gun also had a lighter carriage than earlier artillery pieces, making it easier to transport over rugged terrain.
In the 18th century, several European powers began developing specialised mountain artillery units, such as the Austrian Gebirgskanonen and the French Compagnies d’Artillerie de Montagne. These units were equipped with a range of innovative weapons, including the Austrian 7-pounder mountain gun and the French 4-pounder mountain howitzer. These guns had even longer barrels than the Swedish gun and were designed to be easily disassembled and reassembled for transport over difficult terrain.
During the 19th century, mountain artillery continued to evolve with the introduction of rifled guns and new types of projectiles. The Prussian Krupp company, in particular, made significant contributions to mountain artillery technology with its development of the breech-loading mountain gun and the steel-cased shell. These innovations greatly increased the accuracy and firepower of mountain artillery, enabling it to engage enemy targets at longer ranges and with greater effectiveness.
A good example from the period is the Norwegian 6-pounder muzzle-loading mountain cannon of 1848 in the show notes on firemissionbattery.com. The wheels are removable, the barrel lifts off the simple carriage and all four pieces, two wheels, carriage and barrel can be packed on horses or mules to travel over country with no made roads. This allows fire support to be brought to bear in areas where it was not previously possible. You can see the open sites in the picture. They were used to range the weapon onto a target. This is a direct fire weapon meaning the gunners had to be able to see the target they were aiming at.
Despite these advancements, mountain artillery remained a specialised and challenging branch of artillery throughout the 19th century. Guns and carriages had to be carefully designed and manufactured to withstand the rigours of transport over rugged terrain and specialised training was required to effectively employ mountain artillery in battle. Nonetheless, the development of mountain artillery from 1650 to 1900 enabled armies to project force into previously inaccessible areas and engage enemy forces from unexpected angles, making it a critical component of modern warfare.
Mountain artillery has continued to play a critical role in modern warfare, as armies seek to project force into difficult terrain and engage enemy forces from high vantage points. From 1900 to 2020, mountain artillery underwent a series of significant developments that greatly enhanced its effectiveness and versatility.
One of the major changes in mountain artillery during the early 20th century was the transition from horses and mules to motorised transport. This allowed for faster movement of artillery pieces and reduced the logistical burden of maintaining large numbers of pack animals. In addition, advances in metallurgy and manufacturing technology enabled the creation of more rugged and durable guns and carriages, capable of withstanding the rigours of transport over difficult terrain.
The Second World War saw significant advances in mountain artillery technology, with the introduction of more powerful guns and more effective ammunition. For example, the German 10.5 cm Gebirgshaubitze 40 was a highly effective mountain howitzer that saw extensive use on the Eastern Front, while the American 75mm pack howitzer proved to be a versatile and reliable weapon in the Pacific Theater. These guns were often fitted with specialised features, such as skis or special wheels, to enable them to be transported over snow or mud.
As the arm developed over time, indirect firing mountain guns were developed. The Italian designed and manufactured OTO Melara Mod 56. Known also as the L5 Pack Howitzer in Australia. (Pic again on the website.) The drawbacks of this type of gun became obvious when it was deployed outside its designed parameters. For use in the Alps they represented a form of fire support that would not otherwise be available. The drawbacks include the need to retighten the connecting nuts every 50 or so clicks of travel and after a certain number of rounds. That’s one more thing to worry about when in action. The lightweight, air transportable nature was not as necessary, in Vietnam, as the need for lower maintenance, especially during fire missions. Originally deployed with the Australian Task Force they were replaced with the M2A2 Howitzer of US design. The M2A2 is a more traditional fieldpiece with high angle options. That is, the barrel can be raised above 45 degrees or 800 mils in the NATO measurement. The same was true of the L5. It too was/is air transportable, slung under a chinook.
The point of mountain/pack guns is their mobility through country without made roads.
In the post-World War II era, the trend towards motorization continued, with many armies transitioning to self-propelled mountain artillery pieces. These vehicles, such as the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika and the American M119 howitzer, combined the mobility of motorised transport with the firepower of traditional artillery, enabling rapid deployment and effective fire support in mountainous terrain.
In recent years, mountain artillery has seen significant technological advancements, including the development of more advanced guidance and targeting systems. For example, the Swiss Panzerhaubitze 2000 is a highly accurate and versatile mountain howitzer that features an advanced fire control system and a range of ammunition types, allowing it to engage a wide variety of targets with precision and effectiveness.
Another recent development in mountain artillery has been the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for targeting and reconnaissance. By providing real-time situational awareness and precision targeting capabilities, UAVs have greatly enhanced the effectiveness of mountain artillery in combat operations.
In conclusion, the development of mountain artillery from 1650 to 2020 has been marked by a series of significant advancements in technology and design, enabling armies to effectively engage enemy forces in difficult terrain and from high vantage points. With continued investment in research and development, mountain artillery is likely to remain a critical component of modern warfare for many years to come.
Next episode we’ll begin the long journey that is the development of field artillery from 1650 to 1900.
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Website: www.firemissionbattery.com
Episode 7 https://firemissionbattery.com/ep7/
Mountain Guns