Canon de 194 GPF

Canon de 194 GPF
Canon de 194 GPF
	Saint Chamond 194mm GPF affut-chenille at the US Army Artillery Museum at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1920–1942
Used by	France; Nazi Germany; Italy
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Louis Filloux; Émile Rimailho [fr]
Designed	1918
Manufacturer	Saint-Chamond; Puteaux
Produced	1918-1919
No. built	50
Variants	19,4 cm Kanone 485/585 (f)
Specifications
Mass	29,600 kg (65,300 lb)
Barrel length	6.57 m (21 ft 7 in) L/42.2
Width	2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
Height	7.775 m (25 ft 6 in)
Shell	80.86 kg (200 lb)
Caliber	194 mm (7.63 in)
Elevation	0° to 40°
Traverse	55°
Muzzle velocity	640 m/s (2,100 ft/s); 725 m/s (2,380 ft/s) (from 1921)
Maximum firing range	18,300 m (20,000 yd); 20,800 m (22,700 yd) (from 1921)
Main; armament	194 mm (7.6 in) gun
Engine	Panhard SUK4 M2; 120 hp (89 kW)
Maximum speed	8-10 km/h (5-6 mp/h)

The Canon de 194 GPF (Grande Puissance Filloux - "High-Power" Filloux) - was the first French tracked self-propelled gun (SPG). Designed at the end of World War I, it was a pioneering weapon with many modern features.

Design

The vehicle was designed by colonel Émile Rimailho [fr], deputy chief executive officer of the compagnie des forges et aciéries de la marine (Saint-Chamond).^[3] The 194 mm gun was a derivative of the 155 mm GPF^[4]^[2] and was designed at Atelier de Construction de Puteaux by Louis Filloux.^[1] The 194mm GPF gun was intended to be deployed as a heavy field gun but with the end of the war the field gun option was dropped and only half of the 200 barrels ordered were completed for use in the Saint-Chamond vehicle. A prototype of the Saint-Chamond vehicle was manufactured with a 220 mm Saint-Chamond howitzer and although this proved to be a useful weapon in trials around Verdun in 1918 the 220mm Saint-Chamond howitzer was not adopted by the French Army and the 194 mm GPF gun chosen along with the 280mm Schneider howitzer since tracked self-propelled guns were heavy and expensive vehicles and only the more powerful guns were to be used. Saint-Chamond also designed the Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond. Both SPGs used the same two tracked vehicles, avant-train (lead vehicle) and affut-chenille (gun chassis).^[5]^[4] The lead vehicle carried ammunition and a 120 horsepower (89 kW) Panhard^[1]^[6] SUK4 M2^[7]^{[better source needed]} electrical generator. Both vehicles were powered by two electric motors,^[8] energy being sent to the affut by a flexible electric cable. The gun barrel was displaced at the rear of the chassis when the vehicle had to move.^[9] Compared to a contemporary British vehicle, the Gun Carrier Mark I which was a tracked vehicle upon which a field gun was sat, the Canon de 194 was much more advanced; it was driven by only one person,^{[citation needed]} had hydraulic brakes and the gun had automatically adjusting recoil mechanisms^[1] and pneumatic recuperators.^{[citation needed]}

Service

Production began in April 1918. Two days before the armistice, the vehicle, without its Puteaux gun, was tested at Saint-Chamont plant.^[1] By June 1919, Saint-Chamond was still waiting for the delivery of the oscillating mass,^[10] a key component manufactured by Puteaux.^[11]

During the interwar, they served in an artillery regiment in Valence, alongside the 280 mm SPGs.^[9]

36 were still in service at the outbreak of World War II^[12] and some were captured by the invading German forces.^[9] Surviving vehicles were pressed into Wehrmacht service as the 19.4 cm Kanone 485 (f) auf Selbstfahrlafette.^[13]^{[better source needed]} At least three of them were used by the Germans in Russia in about 1942.^[8] Two were used by the Italians as coastal guns near Rome under the designation Cannone da 194/32.^[14]

Germans also reused some 194mm barrels on French Mortier G de 270 Mle 1889 coastal defence mortar mountings.^[15] A small number of 19,4 cm Kanone 485/585 (f) were deployed for coastal defense in Denmark.^[13]^{[better source needed]}

The only surviving example can be found at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, OK.

Related designs

Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Schneider (FAHM)
Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Vauvillier 2007, p. 71.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hogg 2000, p. 76.
^ Vauvillier 2006, p. 27.
^ ^a ^b Vauvillier 2007, p. 70.
^ Vauvillier 2006, p. 30.
^ Vauvillier 2006, p. 32.
^ "Allemagne Heer et l'Héritage Francais I° partie les Blindés :Maquetland.com:: Le monde de la maquette". www.maquetland.com (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.
^ ^a ^b "Le canon automouvant 194 GPF". artillerie.asso.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.
^ ^a ^b ^c Vauvillier 2007, p. 75.
^ Vauvillier 2007, p. 73.
^ Vauvillier 2007, p. 74.
^ "L'artillerie automotrice 1914-1918". artillerie.asso.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.
^ ^a ^b "Automouvant Saint-Chamond 194mm Aberdeen :Maquetland.com:: Le monde de la maquette". www.maquetland.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
^ Clerici, Carlo Alfredo (1996). Le difese costiere italiane nelle due guerre mondiali (in Italian). Parma: Albertelli Edizioni Speciali. p. 25.
^ "Mortier de 270".

Sources

Hogg, Ian V. (2000). Twentieth-century artillery. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN 0-7607-1994-2. OCLC 44779672.
Chant, Chris (2005), Artillery, Amber Books, ISBN 1-904687-41-5
Vauvillier, François (November 2006). "La formidable artillerie à chenilles du colonel Rimailho - I. Les pièces courtes". Guerre, Blindés & Matériel (in French). No. 74. p. 26-35.
Vauvillier, François (February 2007). "La formidable artillerie à chenilles du colonel Rimailho - II. Les pièces longues". Guerre, Blindés & Matériel (in French). No. 75. pp. 68–75.

External links

May 1940 propaganda video: Video on YouTube
"French March 1940 propaganda video". archives.ecpad.fr. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
Photos of the exemplar at Aberdeen Proving Grounds: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
http://www.aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/france/gpf194.htm Archived 2019-07-26 at the Wayback Machine (text in Russian, numerous old photos)

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200771-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Vauvillier 2007, p. 71.

[FOOTNOTEHogg200076-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hogg 2000, p. 76.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200627-3] Vauvillier 2006, p. 27.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200770-4] Vauvillier 2007, p. 70.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200630-5] Vauvillier 2006, p. 30.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200632-6] Vauvillier 2006, p. 32.

[maquetland-7] "Allemagne Heer et l'Héritage Francais I° partie les Blindés :Maquetland.com:: Le monde de la maquette". www.maquetland.com (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.

[:0-8] "Le canon automouvant 194 GPF". artillerie.asso.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200775-9] Vauvillier 2007, p. 75.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200773-10] Vauvillier 2007, p. 73.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillier200774-11] Vauvillier 2007, p. 74.

[12] "L'artillerie automotrice 1914-1918". artillerie.asso.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-07-23.

[:1-13] "Automouvant Saint-Chamond 194mm Aberdeen :Maquetland.com:: Le monde de la maquette". www.maquetland.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.

[14] Clerici, Carlo Alfredo (1996). Le difese costiere italiane nelle due guerre mondiali (in Italian). Parma: Albertelli Edizioni Speciali. p. 25.

[15] "Mortier de 270".

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v t e French artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917
Coastal artillery	Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93 Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 24 C modèle 1876 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Field artillery	Canon de 75 modèle 1897 Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider Canon de 75 modèle 1914 Schneider De Bange 90 mm cannon Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Obusier de 120 mm mle 15TR
Infantry guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and heavy artillery	Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider Canon de 155 court modèle 1904 Rimailho Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider Canon de 155 L Modele 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider Canon de 155 mm GPF De Bange 155 mm cannon Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider
Mortars	Cellerier Mortar Mortier de 58 T N°1 Mortier de 58 T N°1 bis Mortier de 58 mm type 2 Mortier de 75 modèle 1915 Schneider Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry Mortier de 240 mm Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Mountain artillery	Canon de 65 M modele 1906 75 mm Schneider-Danglis 06/09 Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider
Railway artillery	Canon de 120 L mle 1878 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Canon de 140 sur affut-truc mle 1884 Obusier de 155 C mle 1881 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Materiel de 155 sur affut-truc Schneider Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ Obusier de 200 "Pérou" sur affût-truck TAZ Schneider 24 cm Canon G modèle 1916 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 274 modèle 93/96 Berceau Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 Glissement Canon de 305 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à berceau Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/81 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/84 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/93 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à glissement Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 à berceau Canon de 370 modèle 75/79 Glissement Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery	Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Mortier de 220 mm modèle 1880 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 TR Mle 1903 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889 Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914 Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Self propelled artillery	Canon de 194 GPF Canon de 220mm L Mle1917 Schneider (FAHM) Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond
Armoured vehicle guns	Puteaux 37 mm SA 18 Canon de 75 modèle 1897

v t e French artillery of World War II
Anti-aircraft guns	Mitrailleuse de 25 mm CA mle 39 Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917 Canon de 75 CA modèle 1940 Schneider
Anti-tank guns	25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun 25 mm APX modèle 1937 AC 37 anti-tank gun AC 47 anti-tank gun 47 mm APX anti-tank gun
Coastal artillery	Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Field artillery	Canon de 75 modèle 1897
Infantry guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and Heavy artillery	Canon de 105 court mle 1934 Schneider Canon de 105 court mle 1935 B Canon de 105 L mle 1936 Schneider Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider Canon de 145/155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider Canon de 155 L Modele 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider Canon de 155mm GPF Canon de 194 GPF Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider-St Chamond
Mortars	Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry
Mountain artillery	Canon de 65 M modele 1906 Canon de 75 M modele 1919 Schneider Canon de 75 M modele 1928 Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider Canon Court de 105 M modèle 1919 Schneider
Railroad artillery	Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 305 modèle 1906/10 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/84 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/93 à glissement Canon de 320 modèle 1917 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à glissement Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 Canon de 370 modèle 75/79 Glissement Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery	Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914 Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Tank guns	37 mm SA 18 37 mm SA mle 1938 47mm SA mle 1935 75 mm ABS mle 1929