10.5 cm 31.M field gun
| 10.5 cm 31.M field gun | |
|---|---|
| Type | Heavy field gun |
| Place of origin | Sweden/Hungary |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Kingdom of Hungary |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Bofors (Sweden) |
| Designed | 1927-1931 |
| Manufacturer | MÁVAG (Hungary) |
| Developed from | 10.5 cm cannon Model 1927 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 5,100 kg (11,243.58 lb) (in firing position) 5,995 kg (13,216.71 lb) (in travel position) |
| Barrel length |
|
| Crew | 9 [a] |
| Shell | 105×567mmR [b] |
| Shell weight | 17.5 kg (38.58 lb) |
| Caliber | 105 mm (4.13 in) |
| Breech | Interrupted screw |
| Recoil | Hydropneumatic [c] |
| Carriage | Split trail |
| Elevation | -5° / +45° |
| Traverse | 45° |
| Rate of fire | 6–8 rounds/min [d] |
| Muzzle velocity | 825 m/s (2,710 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 19.5 km (21,300 yd) |
The 10.5 cm 31.M ágyú or Bofors 105 mm cannon model 1931 was a heavy field gun designed by Sweden and produced/used by Hungary on the Eastern Front in World War II.
History
In the late 1920s, Swedish Bofors with assistance from German company Krupp developed several 105 mm field guns that can mainly be divided into two types - a 4-ton class and a 5-ton class. The M1927 and M1934 (an improved version of the M1927) were in the 4 ton class, while the M1931 was in the 5 ton class. These guns shared a carriage with the similar 15 cm M1931 howitzer, which Hungary also used. This was done to standardise parts, simplifying production and lowering costs. In 1931, Hungary bought the licence for the M1931 gun and commissioned MÁVAG to produce it as the 10.5 cm 31.M field gun.[1]
The 10.5 cm 31.M field gun differed from the original M27 and M34 guns in many specifications; it was heavier, had a longer barrel, higher muzzle velocity, more range, and fired a heavier shell, among other differences. The 31.Ms were mechanised artillery guns (towed by vehicles rather than horses) and were used by artillery units which supported infantry, mechanised infantry and tanks. Not many of these guns were manufactured and all were lost in the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive in January 1943.[2]
The 10.5 cm 31.M field gun and 15 cm 31.M howitzer were some of the most advanced and elite artillery in the Hungarian inventory during the war, and they were well-liked weapons that performed on par with modern artillery of other nations, however Hungary did not have enough modern artillery pieces and often had to supplement them with weaker, more outdated guns. The 10.5 cm 31.M field gun may have been the longest range artillery gun in the Hungarian inventory.[3]
References
Notes
- ^ Note: this information is from the previous model 1927 gun, so it may still be true for this gun, but it might also be different.
- ^ Note: this information is from the previous model 1927 gun, so it may still be true for this gun, but it might also be different.
- ^ Note: this information is from the previous model 1927 gun, so it may still be true for this gun, but it might also be different.
- ^ Note: this information is from the previous model 1927 gun, so it may still be true for this gun, but it might also be different.
Citations
- ^ Sheng, Mao (10 August 2020). "100-128mm Field Guns of Various Countries in World War II (Part 4): The Swedish Bofors (Netherlands, Hungary, Switzerland, Thailand, etc.)". zhuanlan.zhihu.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ Hebime (29 May 2016). "Hungarian 10,5 cm 31.M heavy field gun". War Thunder Live. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ xiaopanglang (7 April 2024). "105mm field gun developed and manufactured by Bofors of Sweden before World War II" 二战前瑞典博福斯开发研制的105毫米野战炮. 360doc.com (in Chinese). Shandong, China. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
Extra sources
Jacky 95 (2018-04-15). "Anti Air, Anti Tank, Field Guns, Howitzers and Siege Howitzers of the Royal Hungarian Army of World". Hungarianmilitaryww2. Retrieved 2025-12-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
"31M TÁBORI ÁGYÚ - Quartermaster Section". quartermastersection.com. Retrieved 2025-12-04.