German 75-mm Mountain Gun, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 38, November 18, 1943 (Lone Sentry)

A preliminary examination of the German 75-mm Geb. G.36 (mountain gun) as been made and the following information obtained.

a. General

Caliber 75-mm

Length of barrel and breech ring 69.2 in

Length of barrel 58.0 in

Overall length of muzzle brake 12.32 in

Length of rifling 50.96 in

Rifling Right hand polygroove

Number of grooves 28

Twist of rifling 1 in 24 uniform

Weight of barrel 233.2 lbs

Weight of barrel with breech ring top plate and breech mechanism 583 lbs

Weight of breech mechanism 68.2

Elevation 70° approx

Depression -10° approx

Traverse 15° approx right and left

b. The Gun

Monobloc barrel fitted with perforated muzzle brake. The rear end of the piece is rectangular and fits into prepared recesses in the breech ring from which it is readily detachable. At the forward end is a binding ring with a lug which fits into a hook mounted on the cradle. A counterweight, weighing 114.4 pounds, is mounted on top of the breech ring. The breech block is of the horizontal sliding block type, opening to the right.

c. The Carriage

The saddle is shaped like a U lying sideways, prongs forward, and swings under the crosshead, being pivoted centrally. The trunnion bearings are at the extreme rear. The trunnion caps are secured by spring plungers. Traverse stops are fitted at the lower right and left rear.

The cradle is trough-shaped. A guideway extends the whole length on which a hook is mounted at the front, and at the rear, a rectangular surface to receive the forward end of the piece and breech ring respectively. A recoil indicator is fitted to the right side reading from 600 to 770, and inscribed Achtung Feuerpause 1244 (safety limit of recoil 1244 mm).

A compensator is fitted and consists of a spring-loaded cylinder situated inside the saddle. It is anchored at the forward end to the base of the saddle, and at the other end to the base of the cradle.

The crosshead consists of a rectangular shaft at each end of which are bearings to receive the trail heads. It is pivoted centrally in the vertical plane to the axle and swings in slides secured to the axle at each end.

The axle is a simple straight rectangular shaft tapered at each end for the wheels. The wheels may be detached by lifting spring plungers which are situated at each end on top of the shaft.

The split trail consists of two hollow rectangular girders, prepared at the rear to receive spades, and mounted at the forward end in the bearings on the crosshead. Spring loaded plungers on top of the trail heads lock the trails in position when open. In the closed position they are locked by an arm attached to the rear of the left leg which is clamped to an attachment on the right leg by means of a rotating bolt. Two screw stops are mounted on the trail legs; when unscrewed these permit of approximately 2 degrees of traverse either way with the trail legs closed. The trail legs may be detached from the trail heads, on which they are normally locked, by means of a lever catch.

The elevating gear, on the right hand side, consists of a handwheel, universal joint, and two pinions, one of which engages with the elevating arc which is secured to the right of the cradle.

The traversing gear, on the left hand side, consists of a nut and screw device. The nut is enclosed in a cylinder attached at one end to the rear of the saddle, while the screw shaft is secured to the crosshead.

The recoil mechanism -- buffer and recuperator cylinders lie inside the cradle to the right and left respectively.

The sight bracket consists of a pillar secured to the left rear of the saddle with a trunnion at the top on which the sighting gear is mounted.