75MM Pack Howitzer

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neutralizer RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/8/2005 5:48:18 AM

The definitive English language source on Soviet arty is 'Red God of War' by Chris Bellamy in 1986 (today a professor (proper type not jumped up lecturer) at a reputable university, former arty officer and intelligence staffer, fluent Russian speaker). The Sovs did have very high concentrations of guns in a breakthrough sector. The assault on Berlin involved 1 & 2 Belorussian, 1 Ukrainian Fronts and 18 Long Range Air Army. In the first phase, getting thru the Oder-Neisse line the breakthrough sector was 8 Gds Army on a 7 km front with 310 gun, mortars and RLs per km depoyed between 1 and 7 km from the forward edge of German defences. This sort of density on breakthough sectors was fairly common in 1944-5. The point to remember is that the overall attack frontage was several hundred km and 1 Belorussian (which included 8 GTA) alone had a frontage of 150 km. Sometimes the gun figures include anti-tank guns, my understanding is that these Sovs never used these for indirect fire so adding them in gives an inflated figure (if you count anti tank guns as arty you might as well count tanks that way). The Brit equivalent of a 75mm was the 3.7-inch How, a mountain gun, less range but a heavier shell than 75mm. 25-pdr was the equivalent of 105mm How, but greater range and lighter shell. The most obvious difference between Brit and US in WW2 was the US, as I understand it, never had btys with more than 4 guns, whereas most Brit btys had 8. Fire control arrangements were also very different, the Brits practised control from the front, the observers gave orders and controlled fire tactically, the CPs in btys controlled fire technically. The US used control from the rear, observers 'requested' and battalion FDCs controlled fire tactically and technically.

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Gilbert RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/8/2005 3:59:36 PM

I've been looking for a good photo of the Pack Howitzer in use, and found some at: link In particular, link looks like the emplacement that FSV has described. Another photo at link is very interesting to me. I noticed that it has two hand wheels, one of which the gunner seems to be turning. Our gun doesn't have those wheels, but it does have two crank handles that appear to be made of aluminum. You can see a photo of our gun at link I assume that these handles, or wheels, are both for setting the elevation but that the wheels are only used on the M8 carriage. I don't know why there would be a difference. I'm also confused about why the gunner would be adjusting the elevation while looking through the sight unless there is some sort of range-finding optics in the sight. Can you please comment on this?

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Gilbert RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/8/2005 4:08:49 PM

I guess that I shouldn't have put carrot marks around my web page references. I'll try them again. ...and found some at link In particular, link looks like the emplacement that FSV has described. Another photo at link is very interesting to me. ...You can see a photo of our gun at link

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FSV RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/9/2005 1:40:55 AM

I just check in my zeroxed copy of TM 9-320, dtd June 21 1941; 75 mm Howitzter Materiel. The gunner's sight was a Panoramic Telescope, M1 on a Telescope Mount, M3. This sight was used for both "indirect" & "direct" fire. The required Deflection & Elevation or Range (for 'direct fire') data was set 'on' the sight. Then the gun was 'layed'(aimed) for def. on the target reference point (Aiming Stake). The gun was then elevated to 'center' the elevation bubble (this looks just lie a 'carpenter's level'). When the bubble was centered, the elv. data had been applied to the gun. In the picture, the gunner does not appear to have his eye all the way "up on" the sight. So he is probably looking at the 'site level' (located on the Panoramic Telescope), as he elevates the gun to "center" the 'bubble'. A 'good' gun crew would put a "Zero QE" [quadrant elevation] reference mark on the gun's aiming stake. This allowed the gunner to do a complete lay of the gun, without 'coming off' the sight. This allowed a faster laying of the gun. The "75 Pack" was mainly used in the 'direct fire' mode and sometimes in the 'direct fire' mode (especially during the early phases of the amphibious landings). Rarely was it employed in the Front Lines. In 1927, the German Army started issuing, to the infantry Bn's, the 7.5 cm Light Infantry Gun, which was also known as the 7.5 cm Le. I.G. 18. This howitzer was designed, from the begining, to move with assaulting infantry units and provide 'close' 'direct fire' support. It was also used in the 'indirect fire' mode. Here is some data: Muzzle velocity (HE, max) = 222.5 meters per second (m/s). Range, max (HE) = 3,538 meters. Rate of fire (max) = 15 to 20 rounds per minute. Elevation = -177 mils (-10 deg) to +1,292 mils (+73 deg). Traverse = 106 mils (6 deg) left/right of 0. Weight (in action) = 400 kg (880 lb). Ammunition = High Explosive (HE) w/ several propellant charges and Hollow Charge (ie High Explosive Anti- Tank). The gun, with limber, was drawn by 6 horses (reguardless of the Propaganda Films, the German Army depended upon horses for the majority of its transportation needs til the end of WW2) or light truck/half-track. The gun could be pulled by 4 men, the harnesses were part of the 'issued' equipment for the gun. I did see a picture were the gun was being pulled by 1 of those german half-track motorcycle's, with another 'tracked cycle' pulling an ammo trailer. The gun could be 'broken-down' into 6 pack loads (165 lbs max each). The gun carriage was a 'closed box' type, like the US M1 carriage. The breach was a 'shotgun' style. The rear of the barrel tilted up/open just like a 'single shot' shotgun, to be loaded.

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Gilbert RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/9/2005 11:59:52 PM

Thanks FSV. I assume you meant, "the pack howitzer was mainly used in the 'indirect fire' mode and sometimes in the 'direct fire' mode. Is that correct? If so, I think I've got the gist of the sight operation and elevation setting. But what about azimuth? There is a brass wheel under the barrel at the front of the carriage that appears to be the device for moving the aim to the left and right. However, that seems like an awkward way to do it. A person would have to reach behind that left wheel and turn the brass handle, wouldn't he? How is the azimuth setting done? By the way, I apologize down to my socks -- the address I gave for the photo of our cannon was incomplete. It is at: link While I'm showing photos of our gun, please look at: link I'm guessing that that is the "trigger," for want of a better word. Is that what it is, and if so, what is the correct name for it. I've seen howitzers fired on TV by one of the crew pulling a cord, and I assume that that cord is attached to the handle (welded in place) shown in this photo.

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FSV RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/10/2005 6:13:58 AM

"the pack howitzer was mainly used in the 'indirect fire' mode and sometimes in the 'direct fire' mode. Is that correct?" YES!!! Look at the LEFT Axil. You'll see a 'wheel' that encircles the axil. This is the "Traversing Wheel" used for ajusting the gun's azimuth. The rubber 'boot' between the 'traversing wheel' & the left 'road wheel' protects the "sliding" parts. The 'housing assembly' that the 'traversing wheel' is attached to is the 'traversing gearbox'. You have correctly identified the "trigger", and that's what it is called in the manual.

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Gilbert RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/11/2005 1:03:15 PM

Thanks, In the middle if the breech block is a large ring obviously used for lifting, but just to the right of it and slightly behind it is a smaller knob. Then in front of this small knob is a cylinderical post a littler larger than an inch in diameter and a few inches high. What are these two items called, and what is their purpose? Both are visible in: link

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FSV RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/11/2005 4:44:57 PM

The rear knob (looks a bit like a mushroom) is the Piviot Pin for the Breach Operating Lever. The front post is the Handle, Breach Operating Lever.

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Gilbert RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/14/2005 11:43:44 AM

Gentlemen: Regarding the firing of this weapon. You refer to a "firing charge" which seems to mean that there can be different amounts of propellant. How is this selected -- is like there are various sizes that are marked or "color coded," and the gunner picks the appropriate size, or is all the ammunition the same and it is somehow calibrated before it is fired? Also, where does the 3 rounds per minute sustained firing come from -- does that have to do with the capability of the crew, or something to do with not heating up the barrel?

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FSV RE:75MM Pack Howitzer 6/14/2005 3:25:57 PM

The ammo for the 'Pack 75' is Semi-Fixed. The projectile 'seats' in the shell casing, the casing is not crimped (locked) to the projectile. The M48 HE round has 4 Firing Zones (also called Charges). Each zone # give the projectile a different muzzle velocity, trajectory & maximum range. Each charge of propelent is in a seperate bag. These bags are stacked in the shell casing, one on top of the other. These charges (bags) are number 1 (at the casing base) through 4 (on top of the stack). One of the gun crewmen (known as a 'bag or charge' man) is responsible for configuring the round for the desired Firing Zone. For a "Charge 2" the bag man would: (1) Pull the projectile from the shell casing. (2) Removes #4 bag, then the #3 bag from the casing. (3) Reseats the projectile in the casing. (4) Hands the complete round to the Fuze Man or stacks the round. The Sustained Rate of Fire is the number of rounds that can be fired (at full charge) per minute, for as long as you have ammo, without a risk of a "Cook-Off" due to barrel tempature. If the rounds have been 'pre-configured', a good gun crew can fire 10-to-12 rounds-per-minute. The 6 round-per-minute is the standard RoF for a crew, when they have to configure the rounds prior to firing. Most people do not realize that gun (& mortar) crew dig to pits. The Gun Pit for the gun and a small ammount of "Ready Ammo" (some of which is pre-configured), as well as an Ammunition Pit for storage of the majority of the gun's ammo.

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