Just what exactly was a Whizz-Bang?

[Tony Blake]

I know why it was called a whizz-bang, but just what gun or indeed guns fired them?? I have decribed then to pupils but I would like to show them what actually fired them as well.

All information will be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Tony

[Owen D]

http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/whizzbang.htm

Although the term was used widely by Allied (most often British and Commonwealth) servicemen to describe any form of German field artillery shells, the 'whizz bang' was originally attributed to the noise made by shells from German 77mm field guns. In all cases however the name was derived from the fact that shells fired from light or field artillery travelled faster than the speed of sound.

Thus soldiers heard the typical "whizz" noise of a travelling shell before the "bang" issued by the gun itself. Whizz bangs consequently much feared since the net result was that defending infantrymen were given virtually no warning of incoming high-velocity artillery fire as they were from enemy howitzers.

7.7cm FK 96

The 7.7cm (3.1") Field Gun was the 'whizz bang' of so many WW1 Memoirs. The nearest equivalent of the British 18pdr, the gun fired a 14.4lb shell up to 7,000 yards.

Trying to find a good picture to post but all I can find are wargames models!

WW1 German 7.7cm artillery piece http://www.nomanslandmilitaria.com/collection.html

This WW1 German cannon was captured by the U.S. 104th regiment of the 26th division on October 10, 1918 NW of Verdun. It was donated by the U.S. Army to the city of Warrick Rhode Island where it languished in front of the town hall for almost 80 years. I obtained this gun a few years back and restored it. (see before and after shots) It sits today on my front lawn.

[Guest KevinEndon]

A German Soldier posing by a 1915 model Krupp 77mm field gun.

[Guest KevinEndon]

Here is another cracker of a website.

http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War...owitzers_01.htm

[Tony Blake]

Thanks gentlmen that was really helpful.

Regards

Tony

[RodB]

I was under the impression that the whizzbang was the very short period the fieldgun shell was audible as it arrived along a flat trajectory, followed by its explosion (bang) - hence virtually no time to take evasive action. It seems unlikely that you could relate the shell you heard whizzing towards you with the sound of the firing gun, usually one of several, up to 5 miles away.

This would compare to a howitzer or morter round, which spent much more time in the air and hence gave more warning.

Of course I haven't tested this theory.

[toofatfortakeoff]

A German Soldier posing by a 1915 model Krupp 77mm field gun.

Very good, very good. Excellent pic did you enhance it yourself?#

Ok then what fired a sausage?

[squirrel]

Trench mortar.

[Cnock]

7,7 cm shell + shellcase, fuze Kanonen Zünder 11

[Cnock]

7,7 cm in full recoil.

Regards,

Cnock

[snavek]

A lighthearted look at what Tommy thought of them 'the effect of a wiss bang', sketched in my grandfathers pocket book.

Keith

[Chris Henschke]

And there is a previous thread that has more information;

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...zz%20bang&st=20

Chris Henschke