Description
The Canon de 75 modèle 1897 (often called the “French 75”) was a revolutionary piece of field artillery and is widely considered the first truly modern gun. Officially adopted by the French Army in 1898, it was a pivotal weapon in World War I, and its innovative design influenced artillery development for decades.
Its key innovation was the hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, a system using a combination of oil and compressed air to absorb the recoil of the barrel. This allowed the gun carriage to remain perfectly stable during firing, eliminating the need for the crew to re-aim the gun after each shot. This, combined with a quick-operating breech and the use of fixed ammunition (shell and cartridge combined), gave it an unprecedented rate of fire of up to 15 rounds per minute, and even higher for short bursts.
Initially designed as an anti-personnel weapon to fire shrapnel shells, the “French 75” was extremely effective during the mobile phases of the war. However, its flat trajectory made it less suited for the static trench warfare that defined much of the conflict. To adapt, new types of shells, including high-explosive and poison gas rounds, were developed.
The French 75 was a huge success and was used extensively by the French Army and Allied forces, including the American Expeditionary Forces. Its legacy continued long after World War I, with many guns being modified for new roles, such as anti-aircraft or anti-tank platforms, and seeing service well into World War II.
Set consists of 15 fine metal 1:600th/3mm scale miniatures.
Producer: ‘Oddział Ósmy’ sc Marcin Kaźmierczak i Tomasz Kołuda, ul. Piotrkowska 107, 90-425 Łódź, Poland
