3.7" Howitzer

[rnixartillery]

As I have quite an interest in these guns I have been searching hi and low for one to add to my collection and after some negotiation I have acquired the carriage and recuperator of a MKI which was built between 1915 and 1918.Like most it was converted in the 1920's for mechanised transport and fitted with comercial truck wheels and tyres and later went on to serve throughout WW2.

Although I only have 60% of the gun I have already tracked down a complete WWI sight assembly in the states which a colleague of mine found in Iraq !.I will also be looking to fit the original wood spoked wheels if I can find a reputable wheel wrights who have patterns.

 

Pics attached.

 

Rob.........................rnixartillery

[rnixartillery]

What with the ongoing search for parts to complete the Mountain gun I came across a couple of very nice rare ammo boxes.Both are dated 1944 but one still has its insides intact which great as a pattern to reproduce the missing internals for the other.You will note that one box is longer than the other ,one holding two Smoke rounds and the shorter box holding two HE or Shrapnel rounds.

 

I also located a pair of 36" wooden Artillery wheels for the gun ,down side is that they are in Nepal .................a bit on the large side to stick in an envelope !.................... :banghead:

 

 

Rob..........................rnixartillery.

Edited April 13, 2012 by rnixartillery

[bonnie_scott]

Hi Rob,

 

was interested to get some more info and an early peek at what your finished item would like like. Is it officially called the

 

QF 3.7 inch mountain howitzer

 

as detailed on this page of wikipedia

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_3.7_inch_Mountain_Howitzer

 

Cheers,

 

Julian

[rnixartillery]

Thats right Julian,that particular gun resides in 'Firepower' Woolwich,my intension is to restore my gun back to its origins being 1915.

 

Rob...........................rnixartillery.

[robin craig]

It is funny how there are few original ideas in the world, I do notice a vague resemblence to the trails of the 105mm "spaghetti" gun that was so popular with airborne forces.

 

I guess if an idea ain't broke dont fix it.

 

R

[welbike]

What a shame, 10 years ago I had the parts you need now! and double too (2 barrels, one sleigh) But will find out where they ended up, probably far away from here!

 

I do remember they came from Jordan, in the middle east.

 

Cheers,

 

Lex

[DesertBlooms88]

I started a thread with some photo's of these guns before i found your own very interesting thread.

 

Photo of a British Army Artillery position - North West Frontier - 1930's

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?35511-Photo-of-a-British-Army-Artillery-position-North-West-Frontier-1930-s

 

I have also posted today some photo's showing this type of gun in transit with the 53rd Division in Palestine during World War One.

 

Very interesting to see the 3.7 Mountain Howitzer up close in your images.

 

DesertBlooms88

[Ralph Lovett]

Rob

 

I have a lead on a 3.7 inch slide rule for calculating eleveation/range.

 

Is this one you need?

 

R/

 

Ralph

[rnixartillery]

Rob

 

I have a lead on a 3.7 inch slide rule for calculating eleveation/range.

 

Is this one you need?

 

R/

 

Ralph

 

Hi Ralph,

 

How's things with you ?

I made an offer for one over in the States just before Christmas,a lady had quite a bit of British gear for sale,could this be the same one ?

 

 

Rob....................rnixartillery.

[REME 245]

I remember reading somewhere that the Royal Navy used them as Deck landing guns on some of their larger war ships.

 

Any truth in this? It could explain the late date for declaring them obsolete.

[Ralph Lovett]

Rob

 

I'm not sure if it is the same one. This one is out of Augusta, GA. I bought a French 105mm mle/1913 sight from him and noticed the 3.7 inch slide rule. Do you want me to try to get it for you?

 

R/

 

Ralph

[watcher]

Your problem is that there are a lot of Mks, both British and Indian, not a single 'thread', production was moved to India mid-WW2 and very few were used in Western Theatres. Getting an authentic configuration will be a challenge, although if you're interested in a con job then its unlikely that anyone knows enough to challenge you! The best example I know is in the NZ Army museum, used on Guadacanal, a little known fact that NZ fought there.

[Adrian Barrell]

although if you're interested in a con job then its unlikely that anyone knows enough to challenge you!

 

I don't think Rob does con jobs! :-)

[rnixartillery]

Your problem is that there are a lot of Mks, both British and Indian, not a single 'thread', production was moved to India mid-WW2 and very few were used in Western Theatres. Getting an authentic configuration will be a challenge, although if you're interested in a con job then its unlikely that anyone knows enough to challenge you! The best example I know is in the NZ Army museum, used on Guadacanal, a little known fact that NZ fought there.

 

 

No problem here Mate ! :yawn:

 

 

I don't think Rob does con jobs! :-)

 

Correct..........................

 

Rob.........................rnixartillery.

[Rick W]

I have to ask how on earth did you find one in Nepal?

[rnixartillery]

I have to ask how on earth did you find one in Nepal?

 

It was a pair of original wood spoked Artillery wheels I found over there, Like everything it is about networking and contacts.

When I restore my Guns I go 'all out' to find the right parts and original parts, if I cant find the parts required I 'shelve ' the restoration until missing bits can be sourced.

I have some guns that have taken 10 years to restore just finding the correct bits. Unfortunately when restoring anything there comes a time when parts need to be fabricated so a pattern or accurate drawings are then required.

 

 

 

Rob....................rnixartillery.

[Rlangham]

Fantastic - I have an interest in mountain artillery as my great-Grandad was a mountain gunner in WW1, starting off on 10 pounders in Gallipoli. His unit, 4th Highland Mountain Brigade RGA, used the 3.7 inch post-WW1 and he stayed in the Territorial Force after the war. Have a handbook and drill manual as a .pdf file if of interest?

 

Very interested in anything to do with the 10 pounder and 2.75 inch mountain guns if anyone can help

[rnixartillery]

Thankyou for the offer but I have a full set of original manuals for the gun, I normally collect the manuals before finding the gun,a bit arse about face I know !

Oddly enough I have recently been offered two 2.75 Screw Guns .

 

Rob................rnixartillery.

[Rlangham]

Hi Rob, the WW1 version with recoil system and gun shield? Where abouts are they?

 

Thanks, Rob

[mungaman]

 

Your problem is that there are a lot of Mks, both British and Indian, not a single 'thread', production was moved to India mid-WW2 and very few were used in Western Theatres. Getting an authentic configuration will be a challenge, although if you're interested in a con job then its unlikely that anyone knows enough to challenge you! The best example I know is in the NZ Army museum, used on Guadacanal, a little known fact that NZ fought there.

interesting note about nz forces in g/ canal, your right, i bet few people know about this, can u post sum details ? units, vehicles, markings ? a nice important historical snippet, we learn something new every day !

[watcher]

Unfortunately not, my knowledge is limited to the display at the NZ museum. That said 'The Gunners – A History of New Zealand Artillery’ was publish a few years back and undoubtedly deals with it.

 

Aust also used a couple of btys in NG, but didn't adopt more due to the logistic complications, and perhaps the move of production from UK to India.

 

As well as the two series of UK and India mks, the South Africans also built them (does Selby Engineering mean anything to anyone?) and from the few photos I've seen there do seem to be a few differences. There's a bit about them in Nothling's SA artillery history, not any easy book to read because many chapters are in Africaans although pictures are dual language captioned. This site http://nigelef.tripod.com/37inchowsheet.htm refers to SA producing 190 '3.7 inch How' and 101 '3.7 inch Pack How', no doubt there are SA Handbooks for them somewhere.

 

SA also produced an interesting twin axle 60-pr that is not well known.