Credit
Yaco Erisso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified
FORCETALLY
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At a glance
M44 self-propelled howitzerlarger figure on 0 of 5
PLZ-45
True scale
Side by side. From every angle. A human reference for perspective.
3.40 MB · Loads when you open it| Model | Length | Width / span | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| M44 self-propelled howitzer | ≈ 6.16 m | ≈ 3.24 m (Width) | ≈ 3.32 m |
| PLZ-45 | ≈ 10.5 m | ≈ 3.3 m (Width) | ≈ 2.6 m |
Scaled uniformly to the sourced length of 6.16 m. The width was fitted to the sourced 3.24 m. Not an official model or a measured survey.
ForceTally · All rights reserved
Scaled uniformly to the sourced length of 10.5 m. The height was fitted to the sourced 2.6 m; the width was fitted to the sourced 3.3 m. Not an official model or a measured survey.
ForceTally · All rights reserved
The human reference is a generic 1.75 m figure. Models describe external size, not combat performance.
Measured figures
Length
Single source6.16 metres (20 ft 3 in)[source]
Length
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | M44 self-propelled howitzer | PLZ-45 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-propelled artillery[source] | Self-propelled artillery[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | China[source] |
| Wars | Kurdish–Turkish conflict[source] | Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)[source] |
| Shell | separate loading, bagged charge[source] | — |
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)[source]
Operational; Operational range
Single sourceEffective; Conventional
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum firing range
Single sourceConventional: 14.6 km (9.1 mi)[source]
16,000 yards (15,000 m)[source]
75 miles (121 km)[source]
Operational; Operational range
Single sourceEffective; Effective firing range
Single sourceSustained
Single sourceRapid
Single sourceSustained: 1 rpm Rapid: 4 rpm[source]
Sustained
Single sourceMaximum
Single sourceMuzzle velocity
Single source1,850 ft/s (560 m/s)[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Breech |
|---|
interrupted screw[source] |
| — |
| Elevation | −5 to 65 degrees[source] | — |
|---|
| Traverse | 30 degrees[source] | 360°[source] |
|---|
| Armor | 12 millimetres (0.47 in)[source] | Protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters[source] |
|---|
| Main armament | M114 155mm howitzer[source] | PLL-01 howitzer[source] |
|---|
| Secondary armament | M2HB .50 caliber machine gun[source] | 12.7 mm heavy machine gun 2 sets of 4-barrel grenade launchers[source] |
|---|
| Suspension | torsion bar[source] | Torsion bar[source] |
|---|
| Role | American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer[source] | — |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Massey Harris[source] | Norinco[source] |
|---|
| Source measurement | The M44 was an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer based on the M41 Walker Bulldog tank chassis, first introduced in the early 1950s. Flaws in its design prevented it from seeing action in the Korean War , but the type went on to serve in the armies of the United States, West Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom into the late Cold War period, and even longer in Turkish service.[source]M44 self-propelled howitzer · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage After WWII the US Army sought to replace the M41 Howitzer Motor Carriage with a better SPH using the drive train of the future light tank then developed (originally T37, later T41 and finally M41 ), giving it increased battlefield mobility. Unlike the M41 and the earlier M12 Gun Motor Carriage , the T99 was to have an enclosed gun compartment, giving the five-man crew some armor protection even when firing the cannon. The 155mm cannon, designated T97, was to be a radically new design, with a muzzle brake , bore evacuator and new, separately-loaded ammunition with metal cartridge cases. T99 should also have had a revolutionary gun control system.[source]M44 self-propelled howitzer · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In 1986, 222 Turkish Army M44s were extensively upgraded with 36 caliber 155mm howitzers by Rheinmetall with an increased range of 24.7 km. An MTU MB 833 Aa-501 V-6 water-cooled diesel developing 450 hp at 2,300 rpm coupled to the original Allison CD-500-3 transmission via a ZF gearbox was fitted. There were numerous other improvements such as upgraded suspension, tracks and fire control and increased fuel capacity. The driver's position was moved into the hull. The last was delivered in 1992. Some sources claim they have now been withdrawn, but two were seen in a video by the Russian news agency RT , allegedly firing into Northern Syria from a border post inside Türkiye in 2015.[source]M44 self-propelled howitzer · History / Turkish M44T; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M44A1: M44s upgraded with AOS-895-6 engine, increasing range to 82 miles.[source]M44 self-propelled howitzer · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M44T: 222 Turkish vehicles upgraded with 36 caliber 155 mm howitzers with range of 24.7 km, new engines with greatly increased range, reconfigured driver's seat, fire control and other upgrades. Upgrades conducted between 1986 and 1992.[source]M44 self-propelled howitzer · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage | — |
|---|
| Used by | — | See § Operators[source] |
|---|
| Designer | — | Norinco[source] |
|---|
| Designed | — | 1980s – early 1990s[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | — | $ 7.1 millions[source] |
|---|
| Produced | — | 1997[source] |
|---|
| Power/weight | — | 15 hp/tonne[source] |
|---|
| Barrel length | — | 45-calibre[source]PLZ-45; 155 mm main gun |
|---|
| Reported operators |
|---|
Effective; ERFB-HB-BB
Single sourceEffective; HE ERFB
Single sourceMaximum: 5 rounds/min Sustained: 2 rounds/min[source]