Obice da 75/18 modello 35

Obice da 75/18 modello 35
Land	Italië
Role	Houwitser
In gebruik	1934-1945
Gebouwd	Onbewust

The borders of Italy are mountainous terrain, so the Italian army has always had an interest in mountain artillery. However, by the 1930s much of Italy’s mountain artillery was obsolescent and overdue for replacement. In 1934, the Italian firm of Ansaldo produced a new mountain howitzer design, the Obice da 75/18 modello 34, ontworpen door luitenant-kolonel Sergio Berlese die diende bij de Italiaanse artillerie. De Modello 34 kon worden opgesplitst in acht ladingen voor transport. In het belang van standaardisatie en logistiek werd een versie van de 75/18, de modello 35, ook gebruikt als de lichte houwitsercomponent van normale veldbatterijen. De modello 35 brak niet op in kleinere ladingen en had een split, in plaats van box, trail

Bron: Obice da 75/18 modello 35 op Wikipedia

Italiaanse Obice da 75mm/18 Modello 35 Walk Around
Fotograaf	Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisatie	Musee des Blindes, Saumur
Foto 's	42

Italian Obice da 75mm-18 Modello 35 01

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Italian Obice da 75mm-18 Modello 35 03

Italian Obice da 75mm-18 Modello 35 04

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Italian Obice da 75mm-18 Modello 35 08

Italian Obice da 75mm-18 Modello 35 09

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The “Pack Howitzer” of the Alps

De Obice da 75/18 Modello 35 was an Italian howitzer designed by the Ansaldo company. While primarily intended for mountain warfare (Alpini divisions), it became one of the most successful Italian artillery pieces of World War II. It was famous for its modularity; the gun could be broken down into eight separate loads for transport by pack animals across rugged terrain. Its design was so effective that it was later adapted to become the main armament for the Semovente 75/18 tank destroyer.

Attribute	Technical Specification
Type	Mountain Howitzer / Field Gun
Kaliber	75 mm
Barrel Length	L/18 (1.35 meters)
Maximum Range	9,570 meters (approx. 5.9 miles)
Elevation	-10° to +45°
Traverse	50°
Weight (In Action)	1,050 kg (2,315 lbs)
Rate of Fire	6–8 rounds per minute

Design Philosophy and Engineering

The Split-Trail Carriage: The Modello 35 used a split-trail design, which allowed for a much wider horizontal traverse than older box-trail guns. This made it far easier to track moving targets, such as tanks, without repositioning the entire carriage.
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) Capability: Despite being a howitzer with a low muzzle velocity, it was highly effective against Allied armor. This was due to the “Effetto Pronto” (EP) and “Special Effetto Pronto” (EPS) shells—some of the earliest successful HEAT rounds used in combat.
Modular Breakdown: For mountain service, the gun could be disassembled into 8 loads. The heaviest component was the barrel, which weighed roughly 150 kg. This allowed the 75/18 to be deployed in high-altitude positions where traditional wheeled artillery could never reach.
Modernized Wheels: While early versions featured wooden-spoked wheels for horse traction, later models were fitted with pressed steel wheels and pneumatic tires for high-speed towing by trucks and tractors.

From Towed Gun to Tank Destroyer

The Semovente 75/18: Recognizing the gun’s effectiveness against tanks like the British Crusader and American M3 Grant, Italian engineers mounted the 75/18 inside a low-profile armored hull on the M13/40 chassis. This created Italy’s most feared armored vehicle of the North African campaign.
North African Service: In the desert, the 75/18 often acted as “tank snipers,” using their EPS shells to knock out heavier Allied tanks at ranges where their own armor would have been vulnerable.
German Use: After the Italian armistice in 1943, the German Wehrmacht pressed hundreds of these guns into service, designating them as the 7.5 cm le.F.H.255(i).
Post-War Service: The Modello 35 was so reliable that it remained in service with the Italian Army well into the 1950s as a training and reserve weapon.