WW2's most successful WW1 "leftover"

[parsifal]

Vickers Heavy Machine Gun, Lee Enfields and the 18/25 pounders spring to mind for me for land wepons.

V&W class Destroyers, and QE class BBs for the naval side

I cannot think of a single aircraft type from WWI that also served in WWII

[Njaco]

Jeez, this is a warbird forum! How about the plane itself! The Concept of fighter vs fighter or bomber? Or how aircraft on each side developed into weapons. How about tactics and strategy? If you want a single, concrete weapon, how about the synchronizing gear for the machine gun to shoot through propellors? Or the monoplane? I think there was so much just with aircraft that really dictated how the next war would be fought.

[tomo pauk]

Originally Posted by davebender

WWI era field guns like the German 7.7cm and French 75mm were so heavily modified that they were essentially new weapons. Only the gun tube was re-used. A new carriage converted the low angle direct fire field gun into a light howitzer.

The Schneider 105mm mle1913 Gun
The French Model 1913 105mm howitzer is a different story. It was so good when introduced that it was still competative during WWII without major changes.

Yep, the Mle1913 was a superb gun, and served in many armies, Wehrmacht included. Too bad Brits haven't used it (or the US 105mm M1) as a basis for a new medium piece, instead going after 25pdr.

[davebender]

QF 4.5 inch Howitzer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Britain preferred the inferior 4.5 in QF howitzer whose range was about half that of the French made weapon. Go figure.

[fastmongrel]

Originally Posted by davebender

QF 4.5 inch Howitzer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Britain preferred the inferior 4.5 in QF howitzer whose range was about half that of the French made weapon. Go figure.

Different classes of artillery the QF 4.5 was a howitzer weighing 1.3 tons

The 105mm mle 1913 was a longer range gun weighing 2.6 tons You are comparing chalk and cheese

The mle 1913 was a brilliant gun though

[davebender]

I disagree. The 4.5 inch QF howitzer was the standard division level field howitzer used by the British army. The 105mm Modele 1913 was the standard division level field howitzer used by the French army (once they finally started procuring division level howitzers in 1915).

WWI Germany did things a bit different. Each infantry division had a battalion of short range 10.5cm howitzers plus a battery of long range 10cm Kanone M1914. The 10cm Kanone M1914 was similiar in performance to the French 105mm Modele 1913.

[fastmongrel]

WWI Germany did things a bit different.

My point all 3 armies on the western front did things differently with different doctrines, tactics and equipment. The only artillery piece that seems to have direct equivalents with equivalent roles in all 3 armies is the medium 15cm, 6inch, 155mm howitzer.

The 4.5 QF was the only field piece that went unmodified (apart from small production changes) from 1914 to 1918 so it must have done the job the Royal Artillery wanted.

This is a fascinating book not an easy read for the amateur like myself but worth it if you can find a copy at the very least it will cure insomnia

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Field-Artill...5060835&sr=1-1