📌 1940's Royal Ordnance QF 25-pounder Mk.II Field Gun, Old Buckenham Airshow.
The Ordnance Quick Firing 25-pounder was the primary British Field Gun and Howitzer during World War Two. It combined the ability to provide both high-angle and direct-fire with quick firing rates of fire on a mobile platform.
Designed in the 1930's the 25-pounder a 3.45 in calibre weapon firing a shell weighing 25 pounds, hence the name 25-pounder. It was mounted on a two-wheeled carriage utilising a circular firing platform. The firing platform was attached to the gun and when lowered it transferred most of the recoil forces to the ground thereby providing a very stable firing base. It also provided the gun with the ability to traverse rapidly using the road wheels. The 25-pounder used variable charge ammunition, with the shell being loaded first followed by the cartridge in its brass shell. It was fitted with both direct and indirect sights to provide accurate, rapid fire for both the howitzer and direct fire role with a maximum range of 1,3400 yards.
Associated with the 25-pounder was the limber or artillery trailer which contained the ammunition and could be hooked to the gun and then to the tractor, generally a Morris Quad type, but in airborne use frequently a Jeep. There was a six man crew consisting of commander, breech operator, layer, loader, and two men responsible for the ammunition. The 25-pounder saw limited wartime use with Airborne forces with two guns being transported on ''Op Varsity' in Horsa gliders with the The 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery.
The first one was flown in glider number 305, under the command of Battery Sergeant Major Bentley and Serjeant Nichols with four Gunners, but was lost on the landing when the glider was hit by enemy fire, set on fire, and all the crew were wounded. The second one was flown in glider 364, under the command of Lance Bombardier’s Pettifer and Hale and four Gunners, and was landed successfully and brought into action.
War Diary extracts -
▪︎24th March 1945. 16:00 hours. 211 Battery had 8 guns in action (3 from 210 Battery) 212 Battery had 8 guns and 1 x 25 pounder (3 from 210 Battery). Capt Stewart in E OP was the only regular troop comd in action. He was in 1 RUR area. Lt. B. Cotton manned F Troop OP in 52 LI area. Lt Harper C Troop OP and Lt Pentelow D Troop OP in 5 Para Bde area.
▪︎25th March 1945. 09:30 to 11:30 hours. 88mm intermittent shelling on E Troop position. No casualties but E Troop moved at 12:00 hrs to 185485. Troop positions were - C 183494 D 183491 E 187488 F 187486. The 25 pounder fired red smoke most of the morning for typhoons in Ringenberg area.
Trials and modifications continued post war with trials for the gun to be parachuated and guns, both modified and unmodified were used in several theatres in the late 1940's and into the 1950s. The 25-pounder was eventually replaced by the 4.2 in mortar in the late 1950's and then the 105mm Pack Howitzer.
General characteristics -
▪︎Type: Field gun / Howitzer
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1940 to present
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two / Indonesian National Revolution / Indochina War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 / Greek Civil War / 1948 Arab–Israeli War / Malayan Emergency / Korean War / Second Arab–Israeli War / Sino-Indian War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 / Portuguese Colonial War / Rhodesian Bush War / South African Border War / Nigerian Civil War / Six-Day War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 / Dhofar Rebellion / Turkish invasion of Cyprus / Iran–Iraq War / Lebanese Civil War / Sri Lankan Civil War / Iraqi Civil War
▪︎Designed: 1930's
▪︎Manufacturer: Royal Ordnance
Specifications (Mk.II on Carriage Mk.I)
▪︎Mass: 3,600 lb
▪︎Length: 15 ft 1 in muzzle to towing eye
▪︎Barrel Length: 8 ft 1 in (28 calibres)
▪︎Width: 7 ft at wheel hubs
▪︎Height: 3 ft 10 in trunnion height
▪︎Crew: 6
▪︎Shell: 3.465 in x 11.496 in R / High explosive / Anti-tank / Smoke / HESH
▪︎Shell Weight: 25 lb (HE including fuze)
▪︎Calibre: 3.45 in
▪︎Breech: Vertical sliding-block
▪︎Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
▪︎Elevation: -5° to 45° (80° with dial sight adapter and digging trail pit or wheel mounds)
▪︎Traverse: 4° Left & Right (top traverse) 360° (platform)
▪︎Rate of Fire: Gun fire - 6 to 8 rpm / Intense - 5 rpm / Rapid - 4 rpm / Normal - 3 rpm / Slow - 2 rpm / Very slow - 1 rpm
▪︎Muzzle Velocity: 650 to 1,750 ft/s
▪︎Maximum Firing Range: 13,400 yd (HE shell)
▪︎Sights: Calibrating & reciprocating.
Information sourced from -
📌 1940's Royal Ordnance QF 25-pounder Mk.II Field Gun, Old Buckenham Airshow.
The Ordnance Quick Firing 25-pounder was the primary British Field Gun and Howitzer during World War Two. It combined the ability to provide both high-angle and direct-fire with quick firing rates of fire on a mobile platform.
Designed in the 1930's the 25-pounder a 3.45 in calibre weapon firing a shell weighing 25 pounds, hence the name 25-pounder. It was mounted on a two-wheeled carriage utilising a circular firing platform. The firing platform was attached to the gun and when lowered it transferred most of the recoil forces to the ground thereby providing a very stable firing base. It also provided the gun with the ability to traverse rapidly using the road wheels. The 25-pounder used variable charge ammunition, with the shell being loaded first followed by the cartridge in its brass shell. It was fitted with both direct and indirect sights to provide accurate, rapid fire for both the howitzer and direct fire role with a maximum range of 1,3400 yards.
Associated with the 25-pounder was the limber or artillery trailer which contained the ammunition and could be hooked to the gun and then to the tractor, generally a Morris Quad type, but in airborne use frequently a Jeep. There was a six man crew consisting of commander, breech operator, layer, loader, and two men responsible for the ammunition. The 25-pounder saw limited wartime use with Airborne forces with two guns being transported on ''Op Varsity' in Horsa gliders with the The 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery.
The first one was flown in glider number 305, under the command of Battery Sergeant Major Bentley and Serjeant Nichols with four Gunners, but was lost on the landing when the glider was hit by enemy fire, set on fire, and all the crew were wounded. The second one was flown in glider 364, under the command of Lance Bombardier’s Pettifer and Hale and four Gunners, and was landed successfully and brought into action.
War Diary extracts -
▪︎24th March 1945. 16:00 hours. 211 Battery had 8 guns in action (3 from 210 Battery) 212 Battery had 8 guns and 1 x 25 pounder (3 from 210 Battery). Capt Stewart in E OP was the only regular troop comd in action. He was in 1 RUR area. Lt. B. Cotton manned F Troop OP in 52 LI area. Lt Harper C Troop OP and Lt Pentelow D Troop OP in 5 Para Bde area.
▪︎25th March 1945. 09:30 to 11:30 hours. 88mm intermittent shelling on E Troop position. No casualties but E Troop moved at 12:00 hrs to 185485. Troop positions were - C 183494 D 183491 E 187488 F 187486. The 25 pounder fired red smoke most of the morning for typhoons in Ringenberg area.
Trials and modifications continued post war with trials for the gun to be parachuated and guns, both modified and unmodified were used in several theatres in the late 1940's and into the 1950s. The 25-pounder was eventually replaced by the 4.2 in mortar in the late 1950's and then the 105mm Pack Howitzer.
General characteristics -
▪︎Type: Field gun / Howitzer
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1940 to present
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two / Indonesian National Revolution / Indochina War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 / Greek Civil War / 1948 Arab–Israeli War / Malayan Emergency / Korean War / Second Arab–Israeli War / Sino-Indian War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 / Portuguese Colonial War / Rhodesian Bush War / South African Border War / Nigerian Civil War / Six-Day War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 / Dhofar Rebellion / Turkish invasion of Cyprus / Iran–Iraq War / Lebanese Civil War / Sri Lankan Civil War / Iraqi Civil War
▪︎Designed: 1930's
▪︎Manufacturer: Royal Ordnance
Specifications (Mk.II on Carriage Mk.I)
▪︎Mass: 3,600 lb
▪︎Length: 15 ft 1 in muzzle to towing eye
▪︎Barrel Length: 8 ft 1 in (28 calibres)
▪︎Width: 7 ft at wheel hubs
▪︎Height: 3 ft 10 in trunnion height
▪︎Crew: 6
▪︎Shell: 3.465 in x 11.496 in R / High explosive / Anti-tank / Smoke / HESH
▪︎Shell Weight: 25 lb (HE including fuze)
▪︎Calibre: 3.45 in
▪︎Breech: Vertical sliding-block
▪︎Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
▪︎Elevation: -5° to 45° (80° with dial sight adapter and digging trail pit or wheel mounds)
▪︎Traverse: 4° Left & Right (top traverse) 360° (platform)
▪︎Rate of Fire: Gun fire - 6 to 8 rpm / Intense - 5 rpm / Rapid - 4 rpm / Normal - 3 rpm / Slow - 2 rpm / Very slow - 1 rpm
▪︎Muzzle Velocity: 650 to 1,750 ft/s
▪︎Maximum Firing Range: 13,400 yd (HE shell)
▪︎Sights: Calibrating & reciprocating.
Information sourced from -