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| 10.5 cm leFH 18M | |
|---|---|
 The leFH 18M being used inYugoslavia during World War II. | |
| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1941–45 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany Finland Portugal Syria |
| Wars | World War II Portuguese Colonial War Syrian Civil War[1] |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1940–41 |
| Manufacturer | Rheinmetall |
| Produced | 1941–45 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,985 kg (4,376 lb) |
| Barrel length | 2.941 m (9 ft 8 in)(28 calibers) 3.271 m (10 ft 9 in) (withMuzzle brake) |
| Shell | Separate QF (6 charges) 105 x 155mm R [2] |
| Shell weight | 14.81 kg (32 lb 10 oz) (HE) 15.71 kg (34 lb 10 oz) (AP) |
| Caliber | 105 mm (4.13 in) |
| Breech | Horizontal sliding-block |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic |
| Carriage | Split trail |
| Elevation | -6° 30' to +40° 30' |
| Traverse | 56° |
| Rate of fire | 4–6 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 540 m/s (1,772 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 12,325 m (13,479 yds) |
| Filling | TNT |
| Filling weight | 1.38 kg (3 lb 1 oz) |
The10.5 cm leFH 18M (German:leichte Feldhaubitze "light field howitzer") was a German lighthowitzer used in theSecond World War. The gun, less the carriage and shield, was also used as the armament of theSd.Kfz. 124 Wespeself-propelled artillery vehicle. It was an improved version of the 10.5cm leFH 18 howitzer that offered superior range.[3]
The 10.5 cm leFH 18M superseded the10.5 cm leFH 18 as the standard Germandivisional field howitzer used during the Second World War. It was designed and developed byRheinmetall after the war broke out in an effort to get more range from the basic leFH 18 design. Amuzzle brake was fitted and the recoil system adjusted to allow the use of a more powerful charge and new long-range shell.[3] Generally it did not equip independent artillery battalions until after theBattle of Stalingrad in 1943. 53 were also exported to Finland, where they were known as105 H 33.
The 10.5 cm leFH 18M was also in service with the Syrian Army, one example being preserved in the Military Museum in Damascus.[4] The type has seen occasional service with rebel groups during theSyrian Civil War, in July 2013 and May 2015.[5]
Many were converted from the10.5 cm leFH 18 and retained their original wood-spoked or pressed steel wheels. The former were only suitable for horse traction. Initially, it was fitted with a single-baffle muzzle brake of relatively low efficiency. This was later improved by welding two protruding ears to the rear of the port. However this style of muzzle brake proved troublesome with the early designs of high velocity anti-tank shells and a new cage-type muzzle brake was designed and fitted.[3]
The newFH Gr Fern long-range shell was about 25 millimetres (0.98 in) longer than the normal shells used by the leFH 18 guns, but had a shorter streamlined section behind thedriving band to accommodate the larger powder charge required. This fit in the standard cartridge case, but protruded about 50 millimetres (2.0 in) past its mouth.
Ballistically, the 10.5 cm leFH 18M and the leFH 18/40 are identical.
