Cannone da 70/15

Inservice1903–1943

UsedbyItaly

Cannone da 70 A Mont. Cannone da 70/15
Right view of a Cannone da 70/15.
Type	Mountain gun
Place of origin	Kingdom of Italy
Service history
In service	1903–1943
Used by	Italy
Wars	Italo-Turkish War World War I Second Italo-Ethiopian War World War II
Production history
Designer	Captain Regazzi
Designed	1902
Manufacturer	Ansaldo Armstrong-Pozzuoli ARET
Produced	1902–1918
Specifications
Mass	387 kg (853 lb)
Barrel length	1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) L/16.4

Shell	70 x 86 mm R^[1]
Shell weight	4.84 kg (10 lb 11 oz)
Caliber	70 mm (2.8 in)
Breech	Interrupted screw
Recoil	None
Carriage	Box trail
Elevation	-12° to 21°
Traverse	0°
Rate of fire	8 rpm
Muzzle velocity	353 m/s (1,158 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	6.6 km (4.1 mi)^[2]

The Cannone da 70 A Mont.,^[3] in 1926 officially renamed Cannone da 70/15^[4] was a mountain gun used by Italy during World War I. By World War II it had been relegated to the infantry gun role in units assigned to Italian East Africa.^[2]

The 70/15 was designed in 1902 by Italian artillery Captain Regazzi to replace the Canonne da 7 BR Ret. Mont. that was first introduced in 1881. The 70/15 was technically obsolescent when it went into service in 1904 but it took the Italians almost a decade to field its replacement the Cannone da 65/17 modello 08/13.

Design

The 70/15 was a breech-loaded mountain gun with an interrupted screw breech, a box trail carriage, two wooden-spoked steel-rimmed wheels. There was no recoil mechanism, no gun shield, no traversing mechanism, and elevation was controlled by a jackscrew beneath the breech. It could be broken down into four mule loads for transport or hooked to a limber for towing.

History

The 70/15 was first used during the Italo-Turkish War by the 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment. The 70/15 was still in service during World War One due to insufficient numbers of more modern replacements. Due to its light, simple, inexpensive, and rugged construction Ansaldo built 710 70/15s barrels from 1916 to 1918,^[5] while Armstrong Pozzuoli and other state arsenals built the gun carriages.^[6] It remained in colonial service throughout World War II. It was gradually phased out of the mountain role and given a new role as an infantry support gun.^[7]

After World War One most were transferred to the Italian Border Guard. At the outbreak of World War Two, 92 guns were still in service with the I Group/1° GaF Artillery, the VII Group/2° GaF Artillery, and IIbis Group/3° GaF Artillery in Albania.^[8] In Italian East Africa, the 70/15 was used by the XCI Colonial Artillery Group/XCI Colonial Brigade, the XCII Colonial Artillery Group/XCII Colonial Brigade, and the CI Colonial Artillery Group.^[9]

v t e Italian artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannone da 75/27 A.V.
Field, Medium and Heavy guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 Cannone da 75/27 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 8 cm FK M. 5 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14 Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Obice da 149/13 Cannone da 149/23 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 152/45
Mortars	Bombarda da 58 A Bombarda da 58 B 15 cm Mörser M1881 Bombarda da 240 mm
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannon 37F Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Cannone da 70/15
Naval and coastal defense guns	Cannon 76/40 Model 1916 Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannon 102/35 Model 1914 Cannon 102/45 Cannon 152/32 Model 1887 Cannone da 190/45 EOC 8 inch 45 calibre EOC 10 inch 40 caliber EOC 10-inch 45-calibre Obice da 280 305 mm /46 Model 1909 100-ton gun BL 13.5-inch Mk I – IV naval gun Cannone navale da 381/40
Railroad artillery	Cannone da 381/40 AVS
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 210/9 modello 14 Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Obice da 305/17

v t e Italian artillery of World War II
Tank guns	Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 Cannone da 37/40 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 47/40 Cannone da 75/34
Anti-tank guns	Solothurn S-18/1000 Cannone da 47/32 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 Cannone da 90/53 Cannone da 105/25
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannone da 37/10 modello 15 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 70/15 Obice da 75/18 modello 34
Field guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/32 modello 37 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14
Medium guns	Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Obice da 149/13
Heavy guns	Cannone da 149/28 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 149/40 modello 35 Obice da 149/19 modello 37 Cannone da 152/37 Cannone da 152/45 Obice da 210/22
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Mortaio da 305/10 Obice da 305/17 Obice da 380/15 Obice da 420/12
Railroad artillery	Cannone navale da 381/40
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/70 Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 Cannone da 75/27 A.V. Cannone da 75/27 C.K. Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 modello 40 Cannone da 75/49 Cannone da 90/53 Cannone da 102/35

Design

History

Photo Gallery

References

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External links

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