How Aiming Artillery without Seeing Target Works

[Sedalia Dave]

 

 

 

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

I used to have a math textbook from the the early 1940s.  It was used used in a "boys industrial school."  One chapter in it was devoted to the mechanics and math of aiming stakes and indirect fire.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I was a Field Artillery Gunner in an 8” howitzer self propelled battalion in 1967. Aiming stake usage was different and used for every shot. The gunner (e5) was responsible for the traverse of the gun, while the crew chief (e6) was responsible for elevation.

 

Ramming for an 8”round was always mechanical.

 

the battery’s four guns were put in what was called I lazy W formation. See drawing. About 80 m from to back and 240 m left to right with 80m between guns. The round was said to have had an 80m kill radius, so this created a very effective kill box. Numbered 1 to 4 left to right, gun 2 or 3 would be the most accurate in the battery and would be known as base piece. The forward guns would be determined if one or two shot short and the rear guns would be guns that shot long.  Numbers 1 and 4 guns would be determined if any had a tendency to shoot left or right.  These were m110s before they got the long barrels ( see pic) which was after Viet Nam.

 

they were accurate enough that it was said that the first round would knock on the door of a bunker and the second would come in.

 

somewhat obsolete now because of shoot and scoot needs as well as GPS.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

1 hour ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I was a Field Artillery Gunner in an 8” howitzer self propelled battalion in 1967. Aiming stake usage was different and used for every shot. The gunner (e5) was responsible for the traverse of the gun, while the crew chief (e6) was responsible for elevation.

 

Ramming for an 8”round was always mechanical.

 

the battery’s four guns were put in what was called I lazy W formation. See drawing. About 80 m from to back and 240 m left to right with 80m between guns. The round was said to have had an 80m kill radius, so this created a very effective kill box. Numbered 1 to 4 left to right, gun 2 or 3 would be the most accurate in the battery and would be known as base piece. The forward guns would be determined if one or two shot short and the rear guns would be guns that shot long.  Numbers 1 and 4 guns would be determined if any had a tendency to shoot left or right.  These were m110s before they got the long barrels ( see pic) which was after Viet Nam.

 

they were accurate enough that it was said that the first round would knock on the door of a bunker and the second would come in.

 

somewhat obsolete now because of shoot and scoot needs as well as GPS.

The above was my memory from 57 years ago for a job that I never actually did, it was just my slot in the TO&E.  Now if I told you what I really did…….

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

I served in two M110a2 battalions in FRG, the first one just as the muzzle breaks were installed on those long tubes.  Best system I served on, and accurate as described.  Hit a nail on the head at 30 kms.  No heavy tubes left in the inventory.