Jump to content

Modern 155mm 777A2 In action + FDC


RedLegGI
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just for your viewing pleasure, the last 3 rounds of my fire direction career. These are Illumination rounds with a time fuse on top. Also some other pictures from that field problem as well. The little black dot in the last picture is the round as it leaves the tube. The sound they make while exiting is something I'll never forget :)

 

P1000953.jpg

 

P1000983.jpg

 

P1000974.jpg

 

P1000992.jpg

 

P1000935.jpg

 

P1000998.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's some picture with the projectile "frozen" in flight like that! :o

 

 

What's really cool is you can actually see the round fly out of the tube and watch it until it disappears. If you ever get the chance, go watch some arty at play.

 

 

Dent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mean you can actually see it with Eyeball, Mk1?! :o

 

YES! Its really neat, the best way to compare it would to be if you have ever been golfing and tried to watch the ball as someone else hits it. If you're not watching just the right spot/way you won't see it, but if you're in the right spot, you'll see it every time. You can see it for a good 1-2 seconds of the flight time before you lose the dot. As the round travels it makes a whirring sound, kind of like wind rushing past your ears. When it explodes, you see a bright red flash for a split second, and then a large cloud of dirt and debris.

 

And, FYI the 3rd picture, with the smoke coming out of the barrel, is a high angle missions meant to hit targets in defilade. Flight time for those rounds is usually 50 seconds to 1 minute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why shoot Illumination rounds in bright daylight? Testing or practice or just that' they're not HE?

Tom Bowers

 

While certifying sections to shoot there are what the army calls 'tables'. These tables are a variety of missions to make sure the howitzer section knows every type of fire mission and how to properly lay the piece, load the piece, and fire. In these tables are illumination missions. So in the Army's eyes, it doesn't matter what time of day it is, as long as the section shoots the required rounds. However, they are still visible in the daylight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Watching 105 and 155 rounds leave the barrel amazed me in my training at Ft. Sill. Earlier in RVN at times you could hear the rounds pass overhead with such a strange whirrrr, never hearing the fire or the bang. While flying back then you always checked where the arty was firing and often flew under it.......with the doors open in case..........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Watching 105 and 155 rounds leave the barrel amazed me in my training at Ft. Sill. Earlier in RVN at times you could hear the rounds pass overhead with such a strange whirrrr, never hearing the fire or the bang. While flying back then you always checked where the arty was firing and often flew under it.......with the doors open in case..........

 

 

Interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You in Hawaii? If so, say hi to 1SG Moore for me!

 

I was stationed in Ft. Wainwright and got out in 2010. I knew a SFC Moore, but not sure if he's made 1SG,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

It would have been nice to check out the pics, but photobucket wouldn't open for me.

Anyway as an Arty Scout Observer I called in 105's. The old M2 Howitzer was extremely accurate.

 

Semper Fi.

 

Manny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would have been nice to check out the pics, but photobucket wouldn't open for me.

Anyway as an Arty Scout Observer I called in 105's. The old M2 Howitzer was extremely accurate.

 

Semper Fi.

 

Manny

 

If you copy/paste them in to your browser, they'll still come up :)

 

 

Red

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...