5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt
{{Infobox weapon
|name=5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt
| image=Canons allemands capturés par nos troupes - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - AP62T122879.jpg
| image_size = 300
|caption=A captured 5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfeldt gun being inspected.
|origin=Great Britain
|type=Fortress gun
Infantry gun
|is_ranged=
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=yes
|is_artillery=yes
|is_vehicle=
|is_UK=
|service=1887-1918
|used_by=Belgium
German Empire
Kingdom of Italy
|wars=World War I
|designer=Maxim-Nordenfelt
|design_date=1887
|manufacturer=Maxim-Nordenfelt
|production_date=
|number=185 fortress guns
450 infantry guns
|variants=Tank gun
Anti-tank gun
|weight=Travel: {{convert|1467|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
Combat: {{convert|860|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
|length=
|part_length={{convert|1.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} L/26.3
|width=
|height=
|crew=
|cartridge=57 x 224R Fixed QF ammunition{{Cite web|url=http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable7.htm|title=48-57 MM CALIBRE CARTRIDGES|website=www.quarryhs.co.uk|access-date=2018-09-23|archive-date=2021-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301193433/https://quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable7.htm|url-status=dead}}
|cartridge_weight={{convert|2.7|kg|lboz|abbr=on}}
|caliber={{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|action=
|rate=36 rpm
|velocity={{convert|401|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}
|range={{convert|2.7|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|max_range={{convert|6.4|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
|feed=
|sights=
|breech=Vertical sliding-block
|recoil=
|carriage=Box trail
|traverse=
}}
The 5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt "Canon de caponnière" was a fortress gun and infantry gun developed during the 1880s in Britain which was sold to Belgium and later produced under license by the Cockerill company. It saw action during World War I in both Belgian and German hands.
Design
= Fortress gun =
In 1887 the Belgian War Ministry ordered 185 5.7 cm fortress guns to arm their fortresses including Namur and Liege. The 5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt was a short 26 caliber gun and not the longer 42-50 caliber QF 6-pounder Nordenfelt naval gun. It was a typical built-up gun of the period made of steel with a vertical sliding-block breech and it fired fixed QF ammunition of a number of different styles. The guns were mounted in [http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/Eng_AfficheCanonGET.php?IdCanonAffiche=1297 Grusonwerke] gun turrets or in armored casemates on central pivot mounts and used in an anti-personnel role.{{Cite book|title=German artillery : 1914-1918|last=Fleisher|first= Wolfgang|date = February 2015|page=99|isbn=9781473823983|location=Barnsley|oclc=893163385}}
= Infantry gun =
In addition to its fortress gun role, it was deployed in an infantry gun role. The guns were mounted on light two-wheeled box trail carriages without a recoil mechanism and protected by a [http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/Eng_AfficheCanonGET.php?IdCanonAffiche=200 three-sided] gun shield. During 1914 the Germans captured large numbers of these guns and used them in the infantry gun role mainly to engage enemy machine gun nests in support of infantry assaults. In 1916 the Germans had 450 of these infantry guns in service.
= Tank gun and anti-tank gun =
In addition to the infantry gun role, the Germans used a number of guns to arm their A7V tanks and the guns were mounted in an armored casemate at the front of the vehicle with limited traverse. The Germans also mounted a number guns on central-pivot mounts on flatbed truck chassis to act as mobile anti-tank guns.
Belgian Forts
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
- Fort d'Andoy
- Fort de Barchon
- Fort de Boncelles
- Fort de Chaudfontaine
- Fort de Cognelée
- Fort de Dave
- Fort d'Embourg
- Fort d'Emines
- Fort d'Évegnée
- Fort de Flémalle
- Fort de Fléron
- Fort de Hollogne
- Fort de Lantin
- Fort de Liers
- Fort de Loncin
- Fort de Maizeret
- Fort de Malonne
- Fort de Marchovelette
- Fort de Pontisse
- Fort de Saint-Héribert
- Fort de Suarlée
- Fortified position of Liège
- Fortified position of Namur
- Fortified position of Antwerp
- Fort Liezele
{{div col end}}
Photo Gallery
File:The Battle of the Somme, July-november 1916 Q4021.jpg|A captured German 5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt gun with destroyed shield. Meaulte-Albert Road after the Battle of the Somme.
File:Canons et caissons d'artillerie capturés par nos troupes - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - AP62T122877.jpg|Captured guns in a depot.
File:111-SC-23530 - NARA - 55206754 (cropped).jpg|A Belgian casemate gun recaptured by American troops.
File:Imperial War Museum North - A7V tank gun 1.jpg|A7V tank gun at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester, England
Users
References
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/Eng_AfficheCanonGET_TEST.php?IdCanonAffiche=200 Canon de 5.7 cm Maxim Nordenfelt M 1888]
{{WWIGermanArtillery}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt}}