Description
The Ordnance QF 18-pounder was the standard field gun used by the British Army and Commonwealth forces during World War I. Adopted in 1904, it was designed to replace older, less effective weapons following the lessons of the Boer War.
The 18-pounder was a “quick-firing” gun, meaning it used fixed ammunition (shell and propellant combined in a single cartridge), which allowed for a high rate of fire. It also incorporated a hydraulic buffer and spring recoil system that absorbed the gun’s recoil, allowing the barrel to return to its firing position without the carriage moving. This greatly increased its practical rate of fire compared to older guns.
Its 84 mm caliber and 18.5-pound shell were larger and heavier than those of its French and German counterparts, the Canon de 75 and the 7.7 cm FK 16. Initially, it primarily fired shrapnel shells for use against troops in the open. However, as the war evolved into a static conflict of trench warfare, it was adapted to fire high-explosive and gas shells.
Several marks (versions) of the 18-pounder were produced, with later models featuring a new carriage that allowed for a greater elevation angle, thus increasing the gun’s maximum range. The 18-pounder formed the backbone of the Royal Field Artillery and was used on all fronts of the war.
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
