Rimailho Model 1904TR

155mm Rimailho Howitzer
Model 1904TR
155mm Rimailho Howitzer; Model 1904TR
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	France
Wars	World War I
Production history
Designer	Emile Rimailho
Designed	1904
No. built	≈120
Specifications
Mass	3,200 kg (7,100 lb)
Barrel length	2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) L/15.5
Caliber	155 mm (6.1in)
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	Box trail
Elevation	0° to +41°
Traverse	6°
Rate of fire	15 rpm
Muzzle velocity	320 m/s (1,000 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	6,000 m (6,600 yd)

The 155 mm Rimailho Howitzer Model 1904TR (or just the 155 CTR) was a medium howitzer used by France before and during World War I.

Background[]

The name Rimailho comes from the designer of the gun Captain a French artillery officer who was also involved in the design and testing of the famous Canon de 75 modèle 1897. The gun was designed in 1904 and the TR in the name means 'Tir Rapide' or Rapid Fire in English. Captain Rimailho's goal was to produce a medium artillery piece capable of a rate of fire equal to the modèle (Mle) 1897, which was no small feat for a gun of that size. In service a well-trained gun crew could achieve a rate of 15 rounds per minute, however the 1904TR was mechanically complex and its high rate of fire placed a great deal of stress on the gun.

Theory of operation[]

After each round is fired the gun's breech is opened automatically .
While the gun runs back into battery the breech is held open.
The crew places a cartridge and shell onto the loading tray beneath the breach.
The motion of the gun returning to battery slides the loading tray up into place and the firing lever is cocked.
The firing lever is pulled and the cartridge and shell are rammed into the breech.
The breech then closes and the gun fires.

History[]

155 Rimailho near Reims, being moved to the front during World War One.

A firing demonstration was held at the French War College at Langres on September 4, 1906 with the French Minister of War, Eugène Etienne in attendance. The 1904TR tested against existing 155 mm and 270 mm artillery pieces and judged to be superior when firing against hardened concrete fortifications. In 1907 the 1904TR was put into production and eventually five artillery regiments were equipped with the 1904TR. Each 1904TR battery consisted of two guns accompanied by three ammunition wagons for each gun.

In August 1914, the French army had in service 104 pieces of 155 CTR, in 26 batteries.^[1]

At the outbreak of war the 1904TR was one of the few large calibre modern artillery pieces available to the French Army. The French had neglected large calibre guns in favor of smaller and lighter artillery such as the Mle 1897. The Mle 1897 fit the French Army's doctrine of offence and manoeuver. This doctrine placed a great deal of emphasis on conducting battles in the open with room for cavalry and infantry to manoeuver and supported largely with direct-fire weapons. When the Western Front stagnated and both sides became entrenched in 1915 the French Army was at a disadvantage due to their lack of long range, large calibre artillery capable of high-angle fire. Although the 1904TR had a higher rate of fire than its German competitors such as the 15 cm sFH 02 and 15 cm sFH 13, the German guns outranged it and by 1916 the 1904TR no longer had sufficient range. The 1904 TR's carriage was also dated at the time of its introduction being patterned on older siege howitzers. The 1904TR was supplemented from early 1916 by the and the 1904TR was replaced after 1917 by the Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider.^[2]

Due to their short range, most of the 155 CTR were used with powerful charges. This resulted in rapid wear of their barrels. None was in service at the end of the war. Only one surviving example is known of today at the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.^[3]

References[]

^ Guy François, "Le canon de 155 C modèle 1904 TR Rimailho", Histoire de Guerre, Bildés & Materiél, no. 93, July 2010, pp. 76-84, Paris: Histoire & Collection (in French) toc
^ Touzin, Pierre & Vauvillers, François "Le canon de la Victoire 1914-1918 Tome 1 L'Artillerie de Campagne" Paris: Histoire & Collections (in French) p.59
^ "Passion & Compassion 1914-1918 (Maj 31 juillet 2005) : Quoi de neuf dans ce site sur la Grande Guerre ?".

Hogg, Ian Twentieth-Century Artillery. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2000 ISBN 0-7607-1994-2
Journal of the United States Artillery, Volume 34, 1910. Fort Monroe, Virginia Coastal Artillery School Press.
The Encyclopædia Britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences ..., Volume 20

External links[]

[1] Guy François, "Le canon de 155 C modèle 1904 TR Rimailho", Histoire de Guerre, Bildés & Materiél, no. 93, July 2010, pp. 76-84, Paris: Histoire & Collection (in French) toc

[2] Touzin, Pierre & Vauvillers, François "Le canon de la Victoire 1914-1918 Tome 1 L'Artillerie de Campagne" Paris: Histoire & Collections (in French) p.59

[3] "Passion & Compassion 1914-1918 (Maj 31 juillet 2005) : Quoi de neuf dans ce site sur la Grande Guerre ?".

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t French artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917
Coastal artillery	Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Canon de 155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93 Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 24 C modèle 1876 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Field artillery	Canon de 75 modèle 1897 Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider Canon de 75 modèle 1914 Schneider De Bange 90 mm cannon Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Obusier de 120 mm mle 15TR
Infantry guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and heavy artillery	Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider Canon de 155 court modèle 1904 Rimailho Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider Canon de 155 L Modele 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider Canon de 155mm GPF De Bange 155 mm cannon Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider
Mortars	Cellerier Mortar Mortier de 58 T N°1 Mortier de 58 T N°1 bis Mortier de 58 mm type 2 Mortier de 75 modèle 1915 Schneider Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry Mortier de 240 mm Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Mountain artillery	Canon de 65 M modele 1906 75 mm Schneider-Danglis 06/09 Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider
Railway artillery	Canon de 120 L mle 1878 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Canon de 140 sur affut-truc mle 1884 Obusier de 155 C mle 1881 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Materiel de 155 sur affut-truc Schneider Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ Obusier de 200 "Pérou" sur affût-truck TAZ Schneider 24 cm Canon G modèle 1916 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 274 modèle 93/96 Berceau Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 Glissement Canon de 305 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à berceau Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/81 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/84 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/93 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à glissement Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 à berceau Canon de 370 modèle 75/79 Glissement Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery	Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Mortier de 220 mm modèle 1880 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 TR Mle 1903 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889 Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914 Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Self propelled artillery	Canon de 194 GPF Canon de 220mm L Mle1917 Schneider (FAHM) Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond
Armoured vehicle guns	Puteaux 37 mm SA 18 Canon de 75 modèle 1897

Rimailho Model 1904TR

Contents

Background[]

Theory of operation[]

History[]

See also[]

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era[]

References[]

External links[]