Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux

Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
	A mle 1914 5 km (3 mi) behind the front lines near Proyart, France.
Type	Coastal artillery; Siege artillery
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	France
Wars	World War I; World War II
Production history
Designer	Louis Filloux
Designed	1908-1912
Manufacturer	Fonderie de Bourges [fr]; Schneider; St. Chamond
Produced	1914-1916
No. built	10+2 spares
Specifications
Mass	28.6 t (28.1 long tons; 31.5 short tons)
Barrel length	2.96 m (9 ft 9 in)
Shell	Separate loading bagged charges and projectiles
Shell weight	400–540 kg (880–1,190 lb)
Caliber	370 mm (15 in)
Breech	Interrupted screw
Recoil	Hydraulic recoil mechanism
Carriage	garrison mount
Elevation	+6° to +65°
Traverse	12°
Rate of fire	1 shot every three minutes
Muzzle velocity	290–318 m/s (950–1,040 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	10.5 km (6.5 mi)

The Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux (MLE) was a siege mortar. It was designed before the First World War and was used during the war.

History

Although the majority of combatants had heavy field artillery prior to the outbreak of WWI, none had adequate numbers of heavy guns in service, nor had they foreseen the growing importance of heavy artillery once the Western Front stagnated and trench warfare set in. Since aircraft of the period could not carry large bombs, the burden of delivering heavy firepower fell on the artillery. Two sources of heavy artillery suitable for conversion to field use were surplus coastal defense guns and naval guns.^[1]

However, a paradox faced artillery designers; while large-caliber naval guns were common, large-caliber land weapons were not due to their weight, complexity and lack of mobility. Large-caliber field guns often required extensive site preparation because the guns had to be disassembled into multiple loads light enough to be towed by a horse team or traction engines and then reassembled before use. Building a new gun could address the problem of disassembly, transport and reassembly, but did not necessarily address how to convert existing heavy weapons to make them more mobile. Rail transport proved to be the most practical solution, because the problems of weight, mobility and setup time were addressed.^[1]

World War I

It is believed two mortars were used during the initial French operations to retake Fort Douaumont during the Battle of Verdun, attracting four mortars for the final assault. The projectiles may not have been powerful enough to penetrate the roof of the fort.^[2] They also participated in the Somme Offensive and four were used in the Champagne region between August 1915-Feb 1916.^[3] Two were used during the Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf during 1915–1916.^[4]

World War II

The mortars were placed in reserve between the wars and in April 1940, four were mobilized. A fifth piece was taken from the reserve to be placed on an experimental tracked chassis for a planned attack on the Siegfried line during 1941.^[2]

Design

The MLE was designed between 1908 and 1912 by French artillery officer Louis Filloux. The barrels were converted from surplus 340 mm (13 in) naval guns that were shortened and bored out to 370 mm (15 in). The guns were typical built-up guns with layers of steel reinforcing hoops. The guns used an interrupted screw breech and fired separate loading bagged charges and projectiles. During loading the barrel was lowered 6° and a shell was brought forward by a cart^[5] that ran on a rail to the breech of the mortar. A crane was used to lift projectiles onto the cart.^[2] Ten mortars and two spare barrels were ordered in November 1914 and built under the designer's supervision. Deliveries began in May 1915 and continued until January 1916.^[6]

Coastal artillery

Although intended to be a coastal defense mortar, it is unlikely that any MLE 1914's were deployed in that role. In the coastal artillery role, the MLE 1914 was intended to pierce the decks of armored warships with high angle plunging fire, rather than piercing their side armored belt. In this role, they would have been used in groups to defend navigation channels into ports.^[7] The carriage was of simple construction and was made from steel beams that were welded together to form a box with a large hollow center section to allow high angles of elevation. The recoil system consisted of a U-shaped gun cradle that held the trunnioned barrel and a slightly inclined firing platform with hydraulic buffers on each side. When the gun fired the hydraulic buffers slowed the recoil of the cradle which slid up a set of inclined rails on the rear of the firing platform and then returned to position by the combined action of the buffers and gravity.^[2] This style of mount is referred to as a garrison mount and was common for coastal artillery. Normally this type of mount stood behind a cement slab behind a parapet as part of coastal fortifications and they weren't designed to be mobile. What isn't clear is what type of traverse the carriage would have had.^[7]

Siege artillery

For transport, the mle 1914 could be placed on convertible gauge rail bogies which allowed the mortar to be moved long distances over standard-gauge rails and narrow-gauge rails for the last leg of the journey from the rail station to its firing position. These narrow gauge tracks were also used to re-position the mortars and bring up their ammunition and supplies. Later in the war road wheels which allowed the mortars to be towed by a traction engine were developed. The mortar was transported in 3 loads: The barrel, the carriage, and the firing platform.^[2] Each part was transported on a gantry crane which was suspended between two double-axle narrow gauge bogies. The most time-consuming part of the site preparation included the excavation of a large pit into which the steel firing platform was sunk. The mortar was then assembled by the gantry cranes which ran on two parallel 60 cm gauge tracks laid 7 m (23 ft) apart, perpendicular to the line of fire on each side of the pit.^[8] First, the firing platform was lowered into the pit and anchored. This platform had several pilings that were sunk into the ground to absorb some of the mortar's recoil forces. Second, the carriage was brought in and lowered onto and fastened to the base. Lastly, the 9,275 kg (20,448 lb) barrel was lowered onto the carriage. The construction of each part was one simple operation.^[2]

Ammunition

The mortars fired separate loading bagged charges that weighed up to 82 kg (181 lb) and projectiles that weighed between 400–540 kg (880–1,190 lb). As the war progressed heavier projectiles were manufactured including armor-piercing and high explosive.^[9]

Gallery

A mle 1914 being transported on a narrow gauge railway.
370 mm Filloux mortar mounting details.
A mle 1914 being positioned during the Somme Offensive 15 September 1916 Aisne Area, France.
A mle 1914 being fired from a gully known as "La Baraquette" during the Somme Offensive 16 September 1916.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Hogg, Ian (2004). Allied artillery of World War One. Ramsbury: Crowood. pp. 129–134 & 218. ISBN 1861267126. OCLC 56655115.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Mortier de 370 mle 1914 Filloux - WO1Wiki". www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl. Retrieved 2019-04-20.
^ "CAPITAINE LONGUET OFFICIER D'ARTILLERIE". guerre14longuet.canalblog.com (in French). Retrieved 2019-04-20.
^ Doughty, Robert (2005). Pyrrhic victory:French strategy and operations in the Great War. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. pp. 75–77. ISBN 9780674034310. OCLC 433622668.
^ "ALGP". albindenis.free.fr. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
^ "Le mortier de 370mm Filloux". www.artillerie.asso.fr. Retrieved 2019-04-20.
^ ^a ^b Kretaner, nach (2016-05-18). "Mortier de 370 Filloux". Weltkrieg (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-20.
^ US Army War College (1917). Lecture on high-powered heavy artillery. G.P.O. p. 26. OCLC 17865605.
^ "Stéréothèque - Archeogrid". www.stereotheque.fr. Retrieved 2019-04-20.

[:0-1] Hogg, Ian (2004). Allied artillery of World War One. Ramsbury: Crowood. pp. 129–134 & 218. ISBN 1861267126. OCLC 56655115.

[:1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Mortier de 370 mle 1914 Filloux - WO1Wiki". www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl. Retrieved 2019-04-20.

[3] "CAPITAINE LONGUET OFFICIER D'ARTILLERIE". guerre14longuet.canalblog.com (in French). Retrieved 2019-04-20.

[4] Doughty, Robert (2005). Pyrrhic victory:French strategy and operations in the Great War. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. pp. 75–77. ISBN 9780674034310. OCLC 433622668.

[5] "ALGP". albindenis.free.fr. Retrieved 2019-11-23.

[6] "Le mortier de 370mm Filloux". www.artillerie.asso.fr. Retrieved 2019-04-20.

[:2-7] Kretaner, nach (2016-05-18). "Mortier de 370 Filloux". Weltkrieg (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-20.

[8] US Army War College (1917). Lecture on high-powered heavy artillery. G.P.O. p. 26. OCLC 17865605.

[9] "Stéréothèque - Archeogrid". www.stereotheque.fr. Retrieved 2019-04-20.

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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