Tuesday, April 14, 2015

370mm French mortar Filloux


Aisne Area, France. 1916-09-16. A French Army 370mm mortar being fired from a gully known as La Baraquette.



This 8-caliber piece is equipped with a threaded breech plug, which has a short steel sleeve to secure obturation. It rests by its trunnions on a small mount which is joined to the chassis by two hydraulic brakes. This chassis has inclined slideways for the recoil. It rests on three rollers on a cast-steel platform which is flush with the ground. 

Arrangements for transportation. Transportation is by three loads, comprising the mortar, the chassis with mount, and the platform. 

Each part is suspended from what is known as a transporter, which is a metal frame, like a traveling crane, the ends of which rest on two 18S8 model small cars on which the transporter can pivot. For transportation over highways the same arrangement is used, supplemented by wagon trains. 

Arrangement for firing. The piece is put into battery by means of transporters working on two parallel 60-cm. gauge tracks laid 7 meters apart, perpendicular to the line of fire and passing each side of the excavation dug for the platform. Each of these tracks is connected by turntable with the approach track so that the transporter can bring each part successively over the excavation, where it is a simple matter to lower it into place. 

Ammunition supply. The projectile is put on a loading car, which is brought to the rear of the platform by a special 60-cm. gauge car, from which it is passed to the breech along rails which run over a movable bridge to the ends of the recoil slide- ways on the platform.

Mortier de 370mm (L/8) FILLOUX
Type : heavy mortar/siege howitzer
Caliber : 370mm
Weight in action : 28615 kg
Elevation : -8° to +60°
Traverse : 44°60'
Ready to fire in 36 hours
Rate of fire : 1-2 shell every 5 minutes
HE Shell
Maximum range : 10500 m (7800 m)
Projectile weight : 375 kg (540 kg)
V° : 375 m/s

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