"Mother" at IWM

[RodB]

The prototype 9.2-inch howitzer "Mother" at the IWM has two projectiles or replicas on display. One looks like a standard yellow HE shell, sitting at the rear. But there is also a blue-grey projectile hoisted, presumably to be loaded. Anybody know what this colour signified ? Practice projectile ? It doesn't have a nose fuze, but it has a red ring round the nose, which as I understand denoted filled. And the projectile doesn't appear to have anything in its base to facilitate extraction. It wouldn't be like the IWM to use an inaccurate replica, would it, especially as this is a priceless exhibit.

Rod

[TonyE]

Light grey is the standard colour for chemical filled shell.

I am not sure what you mean by it having no means to facilitate extraction. That is just the projectile, the 9.2 inch howitzer was a B.L. weapon with bagged charges.

Regards

TonyE

[johnreed]

I think that you will find that the exhibit is incorrectly named as "Mother" it was the prototype 9.2 in BL Mk1 which was sent to France in November 1914 and saw its first action at Neuve Chapelle where it was christened "Mother" The one on exhibition is a 9.2 in BL Mkll the traversing handwheel is in a different position ie. rotated 90 deg. nd nhas a different Siege Platform. As for the projectile Iam stumped the 9.2in as far as I know I did not fire a chemical round even so its the wrong colour if it was it should be light gray. If the projectile had been rammed the only was to unload it would have been to use an ejectors projector.

John

[chris mccarthy]

I think that you will find that it is 'Mother' in much the same way the 'Victory' is the 'Victory'. She was re-carriaged in 1917 with the Mk 2 carriage made by Bethlehem steel works, if memory serves. However the breach and outer barrel are dated 1914, I assume it must have been re tubed along the way. So if you really wanted to annoy people you could call it 'Stepmother'.

[johnreed]

Or Mother-in-Law.

John

[Smithmaps]

Was it painted recently by a boy scouts art group?

If that is a sympathetic restoration, with an authentic look, I'm Father Christmas! :-(

You would think they could make some effort to tone it down to look like it was nearly 100 years old.

For gawds sake don't touch it, it still looks wet to me.

Guy

[centurion]

Was it painted recently by a boy scouts art group?

If that is a sympathetic restoration, with an authentic look, I'm Father Christmas! :-(

You would think they could make some effort to tone it down to look like it was nearly 100 years old.

For gawds sake don't touch it, it still looks wet to me.

Guy

Give Rudolph a carrot

Thats how it would look when newly painted why should the paint be artificially faded? The museum is showing what the gun looked like in WW1.

[johnreed]

Ram

The Mk l did not have a Buffer Oil Reservoir mounted on the Buffer, the Mk ll did.

John

[ianjonesncl]

[chris mccarthy]

John

Is the buffer not part of the cradle, which is part of the carriage? The barrel being a separate piece.

Chris

Ps. and the leg bone connected to the thigh bone!

[RodB]

Thanks for the responses gentleman. So is this equipment "Howitzer, 9.2 inch BL Mk (prototype) on carriage, 9.2 inch Mk II" ? i...e. the prototype barrel mounted on a Mk II carriage ? I understand the Mk II carriage was intended for the longer gun Mk II barrel. And the diagram appears to indicate that a chemical shell was available.

For those about to receive, this device was indeed a Mutha.