Obusier De 155 Mm Modèle 50

The first French artillery designed since World War II, it was manufactured in both France - 980 howitzers were produced (French army and export) - and under license in Sweden for the Swedish armed forces. The Model 50 was replaced in French service during the 1980s by the TRF1. Reserve units were produced until the end of the 1990s.

Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50
Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50 in Beyt ha-Totchan Museum, Zikhron Ya'akov.
Type	Field howitzer
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1952-1990s
Used by	See Operators
Specifications
Mass	8,100 kg (17,900 lb)
Length	7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
Barrel length	4.65 m (15 ft 3 in) L/30
Width	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Height	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Crew	11
Shell	Separate loading charge and projectile
Caliber	155 mm (6.1 in)
Breech	interrupted screw
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	Split trail
Elevation	-4°/69°
Traverse	80°
Rate of fire	3-4 rpm
Muzzle velocity	650 m/s (2,100 ft/s)
Effective firing range	18,000 m (20,000 yd)
Maximum firing range	23,300 m (25,500 yd)

 

The Model 50 has a split trail, large slotted muzzle-brake, four-wheeled bogie and a retractable firing pedestal beneath the axles.

 

•   France: standard howitzer of the French Army, replaced in the late 1980s by the TRF1.
•   Sweden: 170; possibly more produced under license.
•   Israel: 170; most of these were later mounted on an M4 Sherman tank chassis as self-propelled howitzers.
•   Lebanon: 50
•   Morocco: 18
•   Senegal: 6
•    Switzerland: 20
•   Tunisia: 30

• M-50 155 mm - An M4 Sherman chassis based self-propelled artillery piece mounting the Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50 155 mm L/30 howitzer in large enclosed superstructure.