manual for commanders of infantry platoons. - US Army Combined ...

~TANUAL FOR CO1IVIMANDERS OF INFANTRY PLATOONS. 135
pumnps or tanks; take the projectile, wipe it, set the fuse, load,
close the breechblock; introduce the air until the pressure gauge
on the feed tube indicates the desired pressure; discharge the
piece by working the sear with the finger or wtithl the "Bowden "
(pliable arrangemnent for controlling a bicycle brake).
A~djustment.-Yariation in range is obtained by chanting the
elevation (angle of fire) and the air pressure in conformlity
wyithz a table that is added to the equipmlent;. The pressure
varies from 4.4 to 33 pounds; the angles emp~loy~ed are 200, 300L
420, and 600"; the angle 420 is most used. The accuracy is
good. Bracketing is accomplished by ch-anges of 2.2 to 4.4
pounds of alir pressur~e. In enfilade fire one canl a~lmost at once
get on a trench 1. yard w~ide up to range of 160 yards. Accuralcy
decreases normxally with the range and very rapidly from 219
to 1,094 yards. The safety valve functions atta pressure o~f
33 pounds.
Recommendations and instructions.-Dischar.lge first with~out
a projectile to assure everything being in working order. Readl
very carefully the pressure gauge; if the pressure has been
exceeded raise the valve or let a little air escape by slighltly
opening the junction of the rubber tube. N~ever~ put oil on the
rubber hose joints. Weight; of the piece, 48.41 pounds. W~ieight
of the tripod, 35.2 po~unds. Weight of the box of accessories
with four pumlps, 70.4l pounds. Projectiles, type A, model 1915,
or type B, mlodlel 1916, described later.
2. Light Brandt howitzer-, mzodel 191G.--Same dischLarge tu~be
and samne annulau~r reservoir-, as the preceding, but with fixedl
breechblocki and loading at thze mu~zcle.
The piece fires at a fixedl anzgle (420) fr'omY an alumlinum~ support
to which it is rigidly attached. T'he entire weight is 35.2
pounds, and it is easily transportable in an attack. (Fib. 148.)
Aside from loadiinb at the muzzle, the manipulationn of th~e
piece is the samle as for the modlel 1915 firing at a constant angle.
Assure yourself that the projec~tile has fallen to the bottom of
the bore. Do not push it;, if it has to be pushed, until you have
put the pressure gauge at 00. A graduatedl sector and a clamnp
scr~ew assure the hori~zontal direction of th~e piece. The breechblock
canl be unscrewved for the purpose of extracting a projectile
of improper cazliber that can not be pushed to its proper seat.