The Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP (37mm mle.1916) was a French infantry support gun, first used during World War I. TRP stands for tir rapide, Puteaux ("fast-firing", designed by the Puteaux arsenal). The tactical purpose of this gun was the destruction of machine gun nests.
Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
American troops train with a 37 mm Infantry gun, May 1918
The modèle 1916 gun's 37mm caliber was the smallest allowed for explosive shells under the 1899 Hague Convention and hence was used by many nations for small guns.[2]
The guns were fitted to a tripod, to which wheels could be attached for transport. The guns could also be carried by four soldiers, after being broken down into two loads: the 104-pound (47 kg) gun and recoil mechanism, and the 84-pound (38 kg) trails, each of which could be carried by two soldiers.[3] Some were equipped with a gun shield. The breech-block of the gun was essentially a smaller version of that fitted to the well-known French 75 gun.[4]
The guns could be crewed by two soldiers, a loader and an aimer, and had a maximum rate of fire of around 35 rounds per minute.[3] They were equipped with a removable APX telescopic sight for direct fire, and a quadrant sight for indirect fire.[5]
In U.S. service, each gun was assigned an ammunition limber, which carried 14, sixteen-round boxes of ammunition as well as tools and accessories.[5] The gun and its limber were normally together towed by a single horse or mule,[3] but were manhandled forward if contact with the enemy was expected.
U.S. high explosive ammunition for the TRP was the Mark II HE shell with a projectile weighing 0.67 kilograms (1.5 lb) and a TNT bursting charge of 27.2 grams.[6] The French Army used the Obus explosif Mle1916 HE round with a projectile weighing 0.555 kilograms (1.22 lb) and a bursting charge of 30 grams. Captured rounds of this type were designated Sprgr 147(f) by the German military in World War II.
During the First World War, the guns saw widespread use with both French and United States forces and were designated the 37mm M1916 in U.S. service. In combat they were found to be wanting, and it was found their intended task of destroying gun emplacements was better done by mortars. As well as infantry use, the guns were also fitted to the M1917 light tank, the first mass-produced U.S. tank. These tanks entered service too late for World War I, and none ever saw action.[7]
37-mm M1916 in action with U.S. forces, 1918. This gun does not have the flash suppressor
37-mm M1916 gun mount in the M1917 light tank, showing its eccentric breech block
During the interwar years the U.S. Army organized its infantry regiments with "howitzer companies," armed, with among other heavy infantry weapons for want of actual infantry support howitzers, 37 mm M1916 guns. The Regular Army could not afford to maintain full companies (instead using platoons), but the National Guard could. The Army adopted a .22 caliber sub-caliber device as an economic measure that allowed training with the guns on indoor ranges.[8] By 1941, the howitzer companies of regiments were disbanded and converted to antitank platoons; the Army put most of the M1916 guns into storage, scrapped them, or converted their mechanisms for use as sub-caliber training devices for heavy guns. Some were used in the Philippines campaign in 1941-42 as antitank weapons due to shortages of the 37 mm gun M3. The Japanese Type 11 37 mm infantry gun was based on this design.
The French Army still had the cannon in service in 1940 as a substitute for the 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun, which was in short supply. After the defeat of France by Germany, the Wehrmacht began using the TRP under the designation 3.7 cm IG 152(f).
A geared-output shaft HS.8C engine for a SPAD S.XII, showing the elevated intake manifold to clear the 37mm cannon mounted in the "vee" between the cylinder banks
Aircraft use
The prototype Beardmore W.B.V shipborne fighter was fitted with a 37mm for use against airships[10] but considered dangerous and removed.
^. Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
^McCollum, Ian (October 3, 2011). "M1916 37mm gun". Forgotten Weapons.
^"Army Target Practice Now Use Tiny Rifles." Popular Science, November 1930, P. 73.
^Windrow, Martin (20 Sep 2018). French Foreign Légionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent: North Vietnam 1948–52. Combat 36. Osprey Publishing. pp. 26, 38. ISBN9781472828910.
^Bruce, J.M. (1965). War Planes of the First World War: Volume 1 Fighters. London: Macdonald. p. 74.
Bibliography
Handbook of artillery : including mobile, anti-aircraft and trench matériel. United States. Army. Ordnance Dept. May 1920.
TM 9-2300 standard artillery and fire control material. dated 1944
SNL A-7
SNL C-33
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP.
(1918) War Department Document No. 758 Provisional Instruction for the 37 Mm Gun Model 1916 R.F.
January 16, 2023
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The Canon d Infanterie de 37 modele 1916 TRP 37mm mle 1916 was a French infantry support gun first used during World War I TRP stands for tir rapide Puteaux fast firing designed by the Puteaux arsenal The tactical purpose of this gun was the destruction of machine gun nests Canon d Infanterie de 37 modele 1916 TRPAmerican troops train with a 37 mm Infantry gun May 1918TypeInfantry support gunAircraft artilleryPlace of originFranceService historyUsed byFranceUnited StatesCommonwealth of the PhilippinesItalyPolandNorth VietnamWarsWorld War IWorld War IIFirst Indochina WarProduction historyDesignerAtelier de Construction de PuteauxProduced1916SpecificationsMassCombat 108 kg 238 lbs Travel 160 5 kg 354 lbs Barrel length74 cm 2 ft 5 in Shell37 x 94mm RCaliber37mm 1 45 in Elevation 8 to 17 Traverse35 Rate of fireSustained 25 rpmMuzzle velocity367 m s 1 200 ft s 1 Effective firing range1 500 m 1 600 yd Maximum firing range2 400 m 2 600 yd It was also used on aircraft such as the Beardmore W B V and the Salmson Moineau Fighter ace Rene Fonck used a 37mm mle 1916 on a SPAD S XII Contents 1 Description 2 Service history 3 Aircraft use 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription Edit A gun fitted with a gun shield Flash suppressor and wheels displayed at the United States Army Ordnance Museum 2007 transferred to U S Army Armor amp Cavalry Collection The modele 1916 gun s 37mm caliber was the smallest allowed for explosive shells under the 1899 Hague Convention and hence was used by many nations for small guns 2 The guns were fitted to a tripod to which wheels could be attached for transport The guns could also be carried by four soldiers after being broken down into two loads the 104 pound 47 kg gun and recoil mechanism and the 84 pound 38 kg trails each of which could be carried by two soldiers 3 Some were equipped with a gun shield The breech block of the gun was essentially a smaller version of that fitted to the well known French 75 gun 4 The guns could be crewed by two soldiers a loader and an aimer and had a maximum rate of fire of around 35 rounds per minute 3 They were equipped with a removable APX telescopic sight for direct fire and a quadrant sight for indirect fire 5 In U S service each gun was assigned an ammunition limber which carried 14 sixteen round boxes of ammunition as well as tools and accessories 5 The gun and its limber were normally together towed by a single horse or mule 3 but were manhandled forward if contact with the enemy was expected U S high explosive ammunition for the TRP was the Mark II HE shell with a projectile weighing 0 67 kilograms 1 5 lb and a TNT bursting charge of 27 2 grams 6 The French Army used the Obus explosif Mle1916 HE round with a projectile weighing 0 555 kilograms 1 22 lb and a bursting charge of 30 grams Captured rounds of this type were designated Sprgr 147 f by the German military in World War II Service history Edit 37 mm TRP Mle 1916 at the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History Brussels During the First World War the guns saw widespread use with both French and United States forces and were designated the 37mm M1916 in U S service In combat they were found to be wanting and it was found their intended task of destroying gun emplacements was better done by mortars As well as infantry use the guns were also fitted to the M1917 light tank the first mass produced U S tank These tanks entered service too late for World War I and none ever saw action 7 37 mm M1916 in action with U S forces 1918 This gun does not have the flash suppressor 37 mm M1916 gun mount in the M1917 light tank showing its eccentric breech block During the interwar years the U S Army organized its infantry regiments with howitzer companies armed with among other heavy infantry weapons for want of actual infantry support howitzers 37 mm M1916 guns The Regular Army could not afford to maintain full companies instead using platoons but the National Guard could The Army adopted a 22 caliber sub caliber device as an economic measure that allowed training with the guns on indoor ranges 8 By 1941 the howitzer companies of regiments were disbanded and converted to antitank platoons the Army put most of the M1916 guns into storage scrapped them or converted their mechanisms for use as sub caliber training devices for heavy guns Some were used in the Philippines campaign in 1941 42 as antitank weapons due to shortages of the 37 mm gun M3 The Japanese Type 11 37 mm infantry gun was based on this design The French Army still had the cannon in service in 1940 as a substitute for the 25 mm Hotchkiss anti tank gun which was in short supply After the defeat of France by Germany the Wehrmacht began using the TRP under the designation 3 7 cm IG 152 f Some were used by the Việt Minh at the beginning of the First Indochina War 9 A geared output shaft HS 8C engine for a SPAD S XII showing the elevated intake manifold to clear the 37mm cannon mounted in the vee between the cylinder banksAircraft use EditThe prototype Beardmore W B V shipborne fighter was fitted with a 37mm for use against airships 10 but considered dangerous and removed See also EditList of infantry guns List of aircraft artillerySimilar weapons3 7 cm Infanteriegeschutz M 15 37 mm trench gun M1915 37 mm Infantry Gun Model 1917 3 7 cm TAK 1918 Type 11 37 mm infantry gun Puteaux SA 18References EditCitations Johnson Melvin M Jr 1944 Rifles and Machine Guns William Morrow and Company p 385 Bethlehem Steel 37mm a b c Handbook of Artillery 1920 p 52 Handbook of Artillery 1920 p 54 a b Handbook of Artillery 1920 p 55 OrData record on Mk II HE shell Archived from the original on 2012 03 11 Retrieved 2012 03 11 McCollum Ian October 3 2011 M1916 37mm gun Forgotten Weapons Army Target Practice Now Use Tiny Rifles Popular Science November 1930 P 73 Windrow Martin 20 Sep 2018 French Foreign Legionnaire vs Viet Minh Insurgent North Vietnam 1948 52 Combat 36 Osprey Publishing pp 26 38 ISBN 9781472828910 Bruce J M 1965 War Planes of the First World War Volume 1 Fighters London Macdonald p 74 BibliographyHandbook of artillery including mobile anti aircraft and trench materiel United States Army Ordnance Dept May 1920 TM 9 2005 volume 3 Ordnance Materiel General dated 1942 FM 23 75 TM 9 2300 standard artillery and fire control material dated 1944 SNL A 7 SNL C 33External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canon d Infanterie de 37 modele 1916 TRP 1918 War Department Document No 758 Provisional Instruction for the 37 Mm Gun Model 1916 R F www landships freeservers com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Canon d 27Infanterie de 37 modele 1916 TRP amp oldid 1124087325, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
