Modelling US 155mm ammunition

 Modelling Ammunition for the 155mm

Building some 1/72 italeri 155 kits for my English and American heavy artillery batteries, the models come with a bunch of ammo so I needed to research US 155 ammunition. The US army technical manual images are a good resource for model builders who want to get correct ammunition for their artillery scene, and 1/35th scale modelers also. The 155mm was used by the heavy batteries in every theatre including the pacific. The gun is still in use today in a number of nations so this is also useful for Cold War and current conflicts. 

The simplest reference! 

155mm Transport

The shells were stored it was in a crate which was on a pallet. It was rare for a pallet to make it to the front as it was broken down into carry cases for delivery to the front, it was then broken down again at the gun supply point, a 2 1/2 ton truck could deliver 55 shells this way enough for at least one or two fire missions per battery. 

The Shell 

The 155mm High Explosive (HE) shell was the most commonly used ammunition for the 155, but chemical white phosphorus (WP) smoke and illumination shell was also available. The HE shell was green with yellow writing, the WP was blue grey with a single yellow horizontal band and yellow writing, the illumination shell (LU) had a white band and yellow writing. The shell was fitted a lifting ring on the nose and a rope (and later a rubber grommet during late 43 to Vietnam, then a metal/ rubber clamp up to current) on the end of the round to to protect the copper rubbing and movement whilst be transported. The round weighed 95 pounds/43 kilo so was a two man lift at minimum on a cradle. At 20mm it would be difficult to mark but at 28mm add D544 on the HE body. 

The Fuse Cap 

The fuse caps was stored in a OD green crate that carried 25 fuses with a spanner. The shell lifting cap was grey and  screwed out so the detonator Fuse cap could then be fitted, which is either gun metal, black or green before depending upon mission type before it was loaded into the gun. 

The Propellant Charge 

The cloth charge bag was carried in  fiberboard containers packed in three with a triangular protective box. Inside were either three :- M14 37.75 inches long and 6.38 inches diameter it held two M3 Charges, this charge could be reduced depending upon range required. Or the M13 27 inches long and 7.38 inches diameter this held one M4a1 charge. The powder bags are color coded; charges 1-4 are green, 5-7 are white, and 8 is red, the bottom of the charge badge has a red mark to face the igniter on the gun. 

Fiberboard transport container 

I hope that is helpful

Cheers

Matt