French 75mm of 1897

The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece. It was the first field gun to include a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, which kept the gun's trail and wheels perfectly still during the firing sequence. Since it did not need to be re-aimed after each shot, the crew could reload and fire as soon as the barrel returned to its resting position. In typical use the French 75 could deliver fifteen rounds per minute on its target, either shrapnel or high-explosive, up to about 8,500 m (5.3 mi) away. Its firing rate could even reach close to 30 rounds per minute, albeit only for a very short time and with a highly experienced crew. [wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_d...]
The concept for the gun anticipated future conflict being a war of manoeuver - with massed infantry and cavalry attacks - based on the experience of the wars of 1870-1872. Consequently the gun was designed to be able to be moved easily, set up quickly and fire antipersonnel shells (shrapnel) rapidly, and without the need to reset the carriage after each shot. Two critical components were the cased ammunition (shell and cartridge as a single unit) and a recoil system that completely absorbed the recoil forces and returned the gun to its original position without disturbing the gun’s position.
This animation shows the actions necessary to prepare the gun from its 'travelling' state to operational state. The carriage has to be ‘locked’ into a fixed position and levelled. The operation of shrapnel shells depends upon setting a time fuse to explode the shell just in front of an attacking force, to shower them with balls, and demonstrates the French Débouchoir mechanical fuse setter that allowed time fuses to be set rapidly and accurately. The liquid(oil) and air (pneumatic) recoil mechanism used a ‘floating piston’ - on one side hydraulic oil and on the other compressed air. The design must keep these two separated while allowing the free piston to move rapidly. The French design laid great emphasis on seals made of silver - being soft enough to conform to the sleeve housing, but as reported by the US when they started manufacturing the 75mm, the key element was highly precise machining of the sleeve housing the free piston.
The French 75mm of 1897 was of less use with the introduction of trench warfare, where Howitzers and mortars being the primary artillery, but the 75mm retained some value, one use being firing shrapnel shells at aircraft. A longer time fuse had to be developed to reach the altitude that some aircraft flew at.
Music: Light Expanse by Unicorn Heads
Model and animation created with Cinema 4D
Primary Source: Atlas of Lithographs of the Canon de 75 Mle 1897
gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6...
Other sources:
Ralph Lovett, Lovett Artillery Collection, www.lovettartillery.com/
Passion and Compassion: WW1 Fuzes Galleries. www.passioncompassion1418.com.
With Thanks to:
Erik Grumman
Philip Magrath, Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson
Ralph Lovett, Lovett Artillery Collection

[@TheMajorActual]

This is really an amazing master-class in how to make a military tool, especially in 1897: Everything is an integrated system, down to the smallest level; all but the most major of maintenance tasks can be done by the crew, not simply in the field, but in a forward firing position; and everything was already laid out at the time it entered service. It really is an engineering masterpiece.

[@morkovija]

A christmas gift for sure! What a detailed piece of art

[@_Matsimus_]

This is an amazing video! Would love to work with you on some videos in the future!!

[@greengabe5]

“Babe, wake up. New French 75mm 1875 lore just dropped.”

[@carlosdegol8751]

As a french man I knew the French 75mm was the best gun of its time. Now I know the reason why! THANK YOU! ! !

[@Morgan8er8000]

Absolutely incredible level of detail - essential in the study and understanding of engineering ideas and manufacturing practices from over a century ago. I know of no faster way one can study and understand the workings of such a machine. Bravo.

[@alessiodecarolis]

A real engineering masterpiece, expecially if you think that only 30yrs before most of the guns were muzzle loading ones! Great researce work!

[@Urmel331]

If you look at it from the front, it looks like a ww2 era gun, the wheels are straight 1600s technology and the breech is exactly what you would expect to find on a high tech artillery piece from 1897, I love it.

[@brennerheavy]

I've always wondered about the intracacies of the 75's recoil system. I had no idea that the recuperator was adjustable, or that they had relatively easy methods to "recharge" the hydro-pneumatic system in the field. Thank you again for the CAD work!!!

[@3gunslingers]

5:00

[@geobel1669]

My grandpa was in artillery during WWI and used it during that time . He was wounded twice and after was a messenger using motorcycle. Thank you for this amazing video !

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Rob, this is superb as always. I'm really glad that we could help.

[@arya31ful]

For a more than a century old piece, it still works like a modern artillery, this thing must have been like a future space magic when it was first deployed.

[@garyneilson1833]

That is an incredible piece of work, thank you very much

[@smoraptor]

Man this thing is super advanced for being built in 1897

[@marouaniAymen]

As usual, breath taking work of quality and accuracy, a flak 88 gun or a 105 gun of the Centurion tank will require an entire playlist. Bravo !!!

[@Fiumara2A]

Magnifique travail. Une clarté, une précision et une simplicité dans l'explication du fonctionnement de ce qui fut sans doute le meilleur canon du champ de bataille durant cette terrible première guerre mondiale. Un grand bravo de la part d'un artilleur français des années 80.

[@SolarWebsite]

Incredible video as always. You can tell how much work went into this, and I'm sure it is 5 times more work than I think it is.

[@Verdunveteran]

Great video! This video is the best tool I have ever seen explaining the functions of the "Soixante-Quinze". The only thing missing is more on the different types of ammunition and fuzes. Great stuff! Well done!

[@nickduf]

Je n'imaginais pas un tel niveau de technologie en 1897, cette superbe animation en révèle tous les détails.