Artillery Calculations

[Der Maresal]

I'm interested to know how the trajectory and impact point for an artillery shell is calculated.
What mathematical formulas are used? How was this done in the second world war, and how is it done today? I heard that GPS devices and other more moder equipment is used, facilitating the job.

Is there a romanian army manual regarding artillery and how it's fired ?

[dragos]

I have only some manuals (copies), dating from 1940, describing the execution of fire with anti-tank guns and mortars. But it's intended for training of gunners and commanders (orders, maneuvers etc), and it does not include mathematical calculations.

[Florin]

QUOTE

I'm interested to know how the trajectory and impact point for an artillery shell is calculated. ....... How was this done in the second world war......? .....

The first tasks ever assigned to the first ever made digital American computers (that made in 1942 with relays, then that made with vacuum tubes in 1945) were calculation of artillery shells trajectories.

In Germany also a brilliant guy built a computer in 1940, using relays, and later he was thinking about the use of vacuum tubes. But I don't know if the German computer was ever used for any purpose.

Florin

[dragos]

[Der Maresal]

interesant :shock:

ma doare capul...

[88mm]

I think the rusian way was easier. A field fiiled whith art. guns of all calibers, amunitiun of all calibers as well placed by trucks or horse wagons at various distances and the art. servants chosing from the pile what they requierd. Imagine then artylery barage taking place at all distances.
Regards, 88mm

[dragos]

Each gun commander carried such a table (tabela de tragere) and after determining an objective (distance, speed etc) he had to examine the table (if he had time ) and give gunners proper orders to operate the gun (elevation, derivation, corections etc).

[Der Maresal]

How do you use a Mortar? How do you know where exactly to aim with that thing?

I ask this because I'm reading the news right now with the latest from Iraq in which several mortar rounds wounded a number of american troops. That means that those guys who fired it are no 'green', and they surely know what they are doing.

So again...how do you aim a mortar, how do you calculate where the grenade will impact? :shock:

[dragos]

Firing instructions for 60-mm Brandt mortar (1940). For those who can't read Romanian, here is the English translation.

Firing the mortar

145. Using the mortar, there can be executed:
- clattering fire, 2-4 hits;
- reaping fire in direction.
Clattering fire is used against small-sized objectives (machine-guns nests, observation posts, command posts etc).
Reaping fire in direction is used for barrage or harass.

146. Regulation and conduct of firing is the task of mortar commander, which observes the fire and makes necessary adjustments.
a) Direct fire.
Fire is opened at the command "Direction xxx (it is pointed a terrain feature), objective xxx, wheel xxx, elevation xxx ". At this command, the aimer sets the firing elements. At the command: "aim" and "spot", aimer executes the aiming and spotting, reporting back to commander the spotting derivation (wheel xxx thousands).
Commader writes down the derivation given by aimer.
Loader 2 opens ammo crates, prepares the number of shells ordered and passes them one by one to loader 1.
At the command: "Shell Nth (1st, 2nd etc) or X shells", loader 1 grabs the readied shell given by loader 2, checks the cartridge, and introduces it on the bore fins down until his hand touches the muzzle and reports "READY".
At the command "FIRE", he drops the shell and retreats his hand.
Mortar commander observes the fire and makes necessary adjustments by the command: "Wheel xxx thousands, elevation xxx degrees".
Indirect fire and LOS fire.
At the command: "Wheel xxx thousands, elevation xxx degrees" aimer sets the firing elements, determining the minimum angle, so as the ordered angle is higher.

[^All^]

I guess that when you are at war, if you have a little experience, you don't have to calculate angle and etc....you will start to fire automaticlly and, if not from the first fire, shoot direct in the objective. Try to think this like the way you tipe, after a little while you get used to the buttons, and after a little longer you will start to type whitout to look at the buttons. And another thing....when you are at war most of the time the manuals cant help you in some situations you may encounter. The best way is to sit around a "vet" and learn from him.