self-propelled gun
Quick Summary
A self-propelled gun is a type of artillery piece that has its own motor vehicle or chassis, allowing it to move independently without being towed. This contrasts with towed artillery, which requires a separate vehicle for transport.
Early self-propelled guns emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with advancements in internal combustion engines making them more practical. The French 75-millimetre gun of 1897, while initially towed, represented a step towards modern artillery with its recoil system and quick-firing capabilities. During World War I, heavier artillery pieces were often mounted on railway carriages or split into components for transport by tractors.
The development of auxiliary propulsion systems in the 1960s further enhanced the mobility of towed guns, allowing them to move short distances from firing positions without a towing vehicle. This innovation also facilitated powered loading and ramming devices, reducing crew size. Modern self-propelled guns are designed for battlefield mobility and rapid deployment.
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armoured vehicleFully tracked carriers…armoured carriers, light tanks, and self-propelled guns were built with aluminum armour. Within 30 years the United States had produced more than 76,000 M113 APCs and their derivatives, making them the most numerous armoured vehicles outside the Soviet bloc. M113 carriers were used extensively in the Vietnam War, often as…
Read More…armoured carriers, light tanks, and self-propelled guns were built with aluminum armour. Within 30 years the United States had produced more than 76,000 M113 APCs and their derivatives, making them the most numerous armoured vehicles outside the Soviet bloc. M113 carriers were used extensively in the Vietnam War, often as…
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tankEarliest developmentsThus, the first self-propelled armoured vehicle was built in 1900 in England when John Fowler & Company armoured one of their steam traction engines for hauling supplies in the South African (Boer) War (1899–1902). The first motor vehicle used as a weapon carrier was a powered quadricycle on…
Read MoreThus, the first self-propelled armoured vehicle was built in 1900 in England when John Fowler & Company armoured one of their steam traction engines for hauling supplies in the South African (Boer) War (1899–1902). The first motor vehicle used as a weapon carrier was a powered quadricycle on…
Read More- tankWorld War II
…all armies developed lightly armoured self-propelled antitank guns. The U.S. Army developed a specialized category of tank destroyers that resembled self-propelled guns in being relatively lightly armoured but that, like tanks, had rotating turrets.
Read More…all armies developed lightly armoured self-propelled antitank guns. The U.S. Army developed a specialized category of tank destroyers that resembled self-propelled guns in being relatively lightly armoured but that, like tanks, had rotating turrets.
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