220 mm TR mle 1915/1916

220 mm TR mle 1915/1916
Country	France
Type	Howitzer
In service	1916-1945
Manufacturer	Schneider et Cie

The Mortier de 220 mm Tir Rapide modèle 1915/1916 Schneider or 220 mm TR mle 1915/1916 was a French howitzer designed and produced during the First World War. A number were still on hand during the Second World War and served in Belgian, French and German service.

Source: 220 mm TR mle 1915/1916 on Wikipedia

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider Walk Around
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Photos	44

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 01

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 03

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 02

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Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 07

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 08

Mortar 220 mm Mle 1916 Schneider 09

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General Characteristics (World War I Era)

The Mortier de 220 mm Mle 1916 TR (Tir Rapide – Quick Firing) Schneider was a heavy French mortar/howitzer designed during World War I to provide the trench warfare power needed to destroy strong enemy fortifications. It was an improved version of the earlier Mle 1915, notably featuring stronger wheels with rubber tires for slightly better, though still limited, mobility.

Property	Value (Mle 1916 Variant)
Role	Heavy Siege/Field Mortar (High-Angle Fire)
Designer/Manufacturer	Schneider et Cie
Entered Service	1916 (Mle 1915/1916)
Calibre	220 mm (8.66 in)
Barrel Length	L/10.6 (approx. 2.33 m)
Weight (Firing Position)	~7,800 kg (~17,200 lb)
Transport	Designed to break down into 2 loads for towing

Design and Mechanism

Recoil System: Utilized a hydro-pneumatic recoil system in a cradle (sled) that slid back along rails on the carriage.
High-Angle Fire: Capable of high elevation (up to +65 degrees), which was critical for dropping heavy shells onto entrenched positions and fortifications.
Loading: The gun had to be lowered to a low elevation for loading. To assist the crew with the heavy 100 kg shells, folding rails were often used to slide the projectile into the breech.
Breech: Used an interrupted screw breech block with a de Bange obturator seal to allow the use of separate loading bagged propellant charges.
Emplacement Time: Required significant site preparation, including digging a pit under the breech for high-angle fire and a minimum of 2 hours to get the gun into battery.

Performance and Usage

Projectile Weight: 100.5 kg (221 lb) HE shell.
Muzzle Velocity: Up to 415 m/s (1,360 ft/s) depending on the propellant charge.
Maximum Range: Approximately 10,800 m (10.8 km, 6.7 miles).
Rate of Fire: Relatively slow, around 2 rounds per minute (6 rounds per 5 minutes).
Mobility Issue: Despite the “TR” (Quick Firing) designation, the gun’s heavy weight and limitations on its carriage meant its towing speed was very slow, a major deficiency once the Western Front became mobile near the end of WWI.
Later Service: Many of these mortars were still in French service at the start of World War II, and a large number were captured by Germany and pressed into service as the 22 cm Mörser 531(f).