Posted on 11/30/2022 2:33:49 PM PST by Zhang Fei
The Ukrainian army’s newest howitzers also are among its oldest. On Sunday, the first video appeared online depicting ex-Lithuanian M101 howitzers in front-line use by Ukrainian forces, apparently somewhere in eastern Ukraine.
The 105-millimeter M101 was the standard light howitzer for U.S. and allied forces ... in World War II. But the design’s age belies its effectiveness. The 2.5-ton M101 is a classic—an artillery piece that nearly perfectly balances weight, range and accuracy.
The M101 was a battle-winner 80 years ago. In the hands of experienced, motivated gunners, it still can win battles today. Especially as those gunners combine the old howitzers with new drones.
Ukraine’s M101s come from Lithuanian army stocks. Lithuania acquired 54 of the towed cannons from Denmark back in 2002 and today is replacing them with the latest German and French self-propelled, 155-millimeter howitzers. Dozens of countries still use M101s or keep the old guns in reserve.
Vilnius pledged to Ukraine an undisclosed number of redundant M101s. The first guns shipped in September. The classic M101s join a bewildering array of donated Western guns—some old, some new—that increasingly are supplanting Ukraine’s pre-war inventory of ex-Soviet guns.
The M101 might be old, but it fires the same 105-millimeter shell that’s standard for all NATO light artillery. The United States and United Kingdom have supplied Ukraine with tens of thousands of modern 105-millimeter shells.
The M101’s range—seven miles—is greater than the five-mile range of Ukraine’s ex-Soviet 100-millimeter field guns. Still, an M101 battery is at a huge disadvantage in an artillery-on-artillery counterbattery fight with, say, a Russian 2S19 battery firing 152-millimeter shells out to 15 miles.
But Ukrainian commanders would be fools to assign the M101s to counterbattery missions. The classic howitzers always have been infantry-support guns. Towed by trucks or armored tractors, an M101 battery follows close
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Ukraine ping
The West has been raiding its junkyards to arm Ukraine. This is likely the oldest piece of equipment supplied, to date. Maybe Joe Biden will start providing them state-of-the-art fighters - Mustangs and Thunderbolts.
Boy, talk about putting lipstick on a pig.
Or trying to say that in a race between an Edsel and a Corvair, the Corviair is better....
when every body else is driving a Corvette.
“The M101’s range—seven miles—is greater than the five-mile range of Ukraine’s ex-Soviet 100-millimeter field guns. Still, an M101 battery is at a huge disadvantage in an artillery-on-artillery counterbattery fight with, say, a Russian 2S19 battery firing 152-millimeter shells out to 15 miles.”
The cross-bows and slings are up next.
The Laws of Physics are strictly enforced.
Hey, man. Considering the lack of air to air, the Thunderbolts would be a much welcomed addition.
BRRRRRRRRRT
I think I would rather have an Edsel. It might have a 352FE with a 4bl carb 😏
Sorry, I think you were meaning Thunderbolt I, I was thinking Thunderbolt II. (Warthog) My bad. Apologies.
An old, proven design.
The 100 mm field guns are the BS3 towed pieces from about 1944. They could get about 20 km (12 miles) if they fire HE at a high angle. Not sure why they said five miles.
the barrels are good steel that doesnt burn out like the chink steel does.
Waite they will start raiding wR memorials and VFW postse
Ukraine ping
Greater point being: if one side of a conflict is out of working 152 or 155 tubes, [and/or their ammo supply], and must try to substitute with 100 or 105 tubes, while the enemy still is firing the bigger guns....
That side in the conflict is LOSING. They are outranged. In a war with small battlefield drones directing impacts, the longer-range guns are going to slaughter the shorter range guns before they are even in effective range of the longer-range guns.
That’s what I meant by lipstick on a pig.
“We’re all out of rifle ammo, but here are some pistols and pistol ammo. Now, charge across that open field at those enemy troops armed with rifles.”
Hey don't laugh. P-51 was the greatest fighter/escort/ground attack plane of its era. If you believe government inflation statistics, they cost $750K per unit, in today's dollars.
And we produced 15,000 of them. Quantity has a quality all its own.
I doubt we could produce 700 of the same plane today without defense contractors bankrupting the Treasury.
We could outsource it to Korea!
“Or trying to say that in a race between an Edsel and a Corvair, the Corviair is better....”
My family went on vacation to Florida in 1963. we stopped at a military surplus store where there was a 105 out front. I was 13 years old and loved military surplus so I went totally insane. I wanted my Father to buy it and tow it back home behind his Corvair. I couldn’t understand why he said no.
If you believe government inflation statistics, they cost $750K per unit,
A new Cessna 172 will set you back a cool 400,000. Imagine producing the P-51 today and then imagine what that would set you back even without a glass instrument cockpit.
I say 3 million if it’s a penny. That tells you something about US Government inflation lies.
No, that honor falls to the M2HB, the .50 machinegun that Ukraine has gotten from us and from other NATO countries. A 1920s design that still tears up equipment, terrain and people in an efficient manner.
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