RML 6.6-inch howitzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RML 6.6 inch howitzer |
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6.6 inch RML howitzer being fired at practice, Shoeburyness, 1897
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| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1880 - 1902 |
| Used by | British Empire |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Woolwich Arsenal |
| Designed | 1877 |
| Manufacturer | Woolwich Arsenal |
| Variants | Mark I and Mark II |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 36-long-hundredweight (1,800 kg) |
| Length | 90.7 inches |
| Crew | 9 |
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| Shell | 100 pounds (45 kg) (common shell) 100 pounds (45 kg) (shrapnel) |
| Calibre | 6.6 inches (167.6 mm) |
| Action | RML |
| Breech | none – muzzle-loading |
| Muzzle velocity | 839 feet per second (256 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 5,400 yards (4,900 m) |
The RML 6.6 inch howitzer was a powerful British cannon from the 1800s. It was a type of Howitzer, which means it fired shells high into the air. This weapon was called 'RML' because it was Rifled (meaning it had grooves inside the barrel) and loaded from the front (Muzzle Loading). It could shoot a heavy shell weighing about 100 pounds (45 kg). Soldiers used it to attack strong enemy buildings and forts.
How the Howitzer Was Made
The RML 6.6 inch howitzer was designed and built by the Woolwich Arsenal in England. The first version, called Mark I, had a strong steel inner tube. An outer tube of tough iron was shrunk onto it.
The Mark II version was made completely from steel. Both versions had special grooves inside the barrel. These grooves made the shells spin, helping them fly straighter and farther.
Firing the Howitzer
To fire the howitzer, soldiers loaded a silk bag of black powder into the front. Then, they loaded a shell. A small copper tube was put into a hole at the back of the gun. When a soldier pulled a rope attached to this tube, it would spark and ignite the powder. This made the gun fire.
The howitzer could be aimed very precisely. It had a flat surface on top for a tool called a clinometer. This tool helped soldiers set the gun's angle up to 35 degrees. This meant they could shoot shells directly at a target or high into the air to land on targets far away.
Ammunition Used
The RML 6.6 inch howitzer could fire three main types of shells:
- Common shell: Used to destroy buildings or strong enemy defenses.
- Shrapnel shell: Filled with small metal balls, these shells exploded in the air. They were used against groups of enemy soldiers or cavalry (soldiers on horseback).
- Case shot: Used for close-range attacks against soft targets, like enemy troops very near the gun.
Shells could be set to explode in different ways. Some had fuzes that made them burst after a certain time or distance. Others exploded when they hit something. A skilled crew could fire about one shell per minute.
Where It Was Used
The British Royal Artillery started using these rifled muzzle-loading howitzers in the 1870s. They were much better than older, less accurate cannons. These new howitzers could shoot farther and more accurately.
The 6.6-inch howitzer was often used as a semi-mobile siege weapon. This means it could be moved around on a special wheeled carriage. Each gun also had a trailer to carry ammunition. Sometimes, these howitzers were placed in fixed defenses, like inside forts. For example, Fort Widley and Fort Nelson in Portsmouth had several of these howitzers in 1898.
By 1902, newer and more advanced cannons were available. The RML 6.6 inch howitzer was then considered old-fashioned and was removed from service.
See also
