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BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun: Encyclopedia BETA

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BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun

Weapon|is_artillery=yes|image=

caption= BL 5.5 inch Mk 3 in Finnish Artillery Museum

name= BL 5.5 Medium Gun Mk 3

type= Long range field gun

origin= UK

era=World War 2

target= general, counter battery

date=

prod_date= 1941 -

number=

service= 1942 - 1978(?)

used_by= British & Commonwealth

wars= WW2

carriage= Split trail

caliber= 5.5 inch (140 mm)

part_length= 30

weight= 5.8 t

cartridge= HE

ammo_wt= 45.5 kg

velocity= 517 m/s

range= 14 km

rate= 3

crew= 9

}The BL 5.5 inch Field Gun was a British artillery gun introduced during the middle of the Second World War.

History

In January 1939 a specification was issued for a gun to replace the 6 inch guns and howitzers in use. The first units were equipped with the new gun in May 1942, and the first actions were in the Western Desert Campaign. Initially the range was disappointing, but a new shell 20 pounds (9 kg) lighter solved the problem.

The 5.5 survived after the war until replaced by the FH-70 towed howitzer in service as L121.In use, the 5.5, like the 4.5 before was generally teamed with the AEC Matador artillery tractor.

BL 5.5 inch Mk 3 in Finnish Artillery Museum

Variants

Mark III

Model in use in WW2
*Gun
**Calibre: 140 mm
**Length: 30 calibres (4.2 m)
**Weight: 1.87 t
**Muzzle velocity: 517 m/s
*Crew: 9 men
*Shell Weight: 45.4 kg
*Range: 14 km

Mark IV

Appeared after WW2