M101 American 105mm Towed Howitzer
M101
105mm Towed Howitzer
Other
Basic Information
Name
M101 American 105mm Towed Howitzer
Designation
M101
Alternate Designation
M101; M101A1
Equipment Type
105mm Towed Howitzer
Manufacturer
—
Date of Introduction
1941
Description
The 105 mm M101A1 howitzer (previously designated M2A1) is an artillery piece developed and used by the United States. It was the standard U.S. light field howitzer in World War II and saw action in both the European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly gained a reputation for accuracy and a powerful punch. The M101A1 fires 105 mm high explosive (HE) semi-fixed ammunition and has a range of 12,330 yards (11,270 m), making it suitable for supporting infantry.
Ground Specifications
Crew
8
Variants
M101
The original production model had the M2A1 carriage and the M2A1 model gun, which had a straight barrel.
M101A1
This is covered in the main entry. It has a M2A2 carriage (which differs from the M2A1 chiefly in the amount of shielding) and the M2A2 gun, which has a thickened muzzle.
German M101 modification
It features a longer barrel with single-baffle muzzle brake, new breech ring and new sights. Maximum range is 15,420 yds (14,100 m).
M101/33 Upgrade
This was proposed by RDM (De Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij BV) Defence Engineering of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It features a longer barrel of 33 calibers; progressive twist rifling increasing from 1 in 35 to 1 in 18 over the first 9 ft 2 in (2.974 m) and holding 1 in 18 over last 12 in (306 mm ); and a slotted muzzle brake. The loaded weight increases to 5,247 lb (2,380 kg).
In March 1994, RDM was awarded a US$13.75 million contract by the Canadian army to upgrade 96 M101 howitzers to the M101/33 standard. The contract included two options, one for an additional 29 howitzers, and another for an additional 60. The first upgraded howitzers were shipped back to Canada in late 1995 with the entire batch of 96 to be completed in 1998.
It was also trialed in Indonesia and Malaysia. In 1994, a single model of a Brazilian M101 was upgraded by RDM with a 37-caliber barrel from the Royal Ordnance L118 Light Gun. At the time, Brazil had a requirement for up to 80 upgraded M101s.
M101/LG1 Upgrade
Giat Industries has developed an upgrade for the M101 that replaces the 23-caliber barrel of the M101 with the 30-caliber barrel used by Giat's LG1 Mk II 105-mm Light Gun. The upgrade allows the M101 to fire new Giat HE extended-range base-bleed ammunition out to 17,500 m (10.9 miles).
Giat was awarded a contract by the Philippines in July 1996 to modify 12 M101A1s with the newer barrel. An order for the rest of the Philippines inventory of M101s was seen as possible. Thailand reportedly ordered 300 upgraded kits for its stock of M101s.
System
Alternative Designation
M101; M101A1
Type
105 mm Towed Howitzer
In Service
1941-Present
Crew
8 ea
Carriage
split trail, post-war designation of M2A1 on carriage M2A1
Displacement Time
Less than 2 Minutes
Emplacement Time
Less than 2 Minutes
Dimensions
Length, Overall
5.99 m
Barrel Length
2.57 m
Rifling Length
1.98 m
Width, Firing
3.66 m
Width, Traveling
2.16 m
Height
1.57 m
Ground Clearance
356 mm
Weight
2,258 kg
Howitzer
System
Name
M101
Type
Towed Howitzer
Caliber
105 mm
Carriage
split trail, post-war designation of M2A1 on carriage M2A1
Bore
105-mm/23-cal M2A1 or M2A2, rifled (barrel has a life of 20,000 rounds)
Rifling
1 in 20 constant twist, 36 grooves
Elevation
-5 deg to 66 deg (-89 mils to 1,156 mils)
Traverse
23 deg (409 mils) to each side
Breech Type
horizontal sliding wedge
Recoil System
hydropneumatic
Rate of Fire, Sustained
3 rds/min
Rate of Fire, Maximum
10 rds/min
Ammunition (Option 1)
Name
M548
Type
HERA
Caliber
105 mm
Length
830 mm
Weight
17.46 kg
Muzzle Velocity
548 mps
Maximum Range
14,600 m
Ammunition (Option 2)
Name
M546
Type
APERS-T
Caliber
105 mm
Length
867 mm
Weight
17.35 kg
Muzzle Velocity
549 mps
Maximum Range
11,600 m
Ammunition (Option 3)
Name
INA
Type
HE, GB, HD, WP, HC, ILLUM
Caliber
105 mm
Length
Varies
Weight
Varies
Muzzle Velocity
472.4 mps
Maximum Range
11,270 m
Fire Control
Name
INA
Computerized FCS
No
Direct Fire
Yes
Indirect Fire
Yes
Collimator
INA
Details
Country of Origin
United States
Category
Towed Gun/Howitzer Artillery Systems
Land > Artillery > Towed Gun/Howitzer Artillery Systems
Filter Label
M
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
5.99 m
Width
—
Height
1.57 m
Weight
2258 kg
Operators (66)
China
France
Germany
Israel
Japan
South Korea
Iran
Pakistan
Brazil
South Africa
Spain
Argentina
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Benin
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Croatia
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Gabon
Greece
Guatemala
Honduras
Indonesia
Iraq
Laos
Lebanon
Liberia
Lithuania
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mauritania
Mexico
Morocco
Myanmar
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
North Macedonia
Norway
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Portugal
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sudan
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam
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