127 mm Field Howitzer (Turkey)

127 mm (5 inch) artillery piece with screw-operated horizontally moving breech block. The Gun is mounted on a steel carriage composed of two plate sections joined with rivetted transoms. The carriage has wooden spoked wheels with iron rims. The gun is painted in a dark mustard brown/yellow paint. Chain and leather brake bands wrap around each axle. These brakes are operated by a handbrake on the left hand side of the barrel. Two seats are provided for gun crew on the forward side of the axle. These are provided with wire mesh backs. Elevation mechanism is located on the left side of the barrel. The handwheel is missing. The trail bar is articulated, and pivots forward to engage in a wishbone-like structure on the carriage. One arm of the 'wishbone' is bent. The trail bar terminates in a 't' shape. A wooden bar formerly passed through this bar, but is now missing. One of the felloes in the left hand wheel is considerably decayed. The gun has no recoil mechanism. The barrel trunnions sit in a cradle in the carriage, and are secured with trunnion caps. The handle which operated the breech is missing. A tool box with forward-hinging lid is fitted between the transoms of the carriage, behind the breech. A traverse wheel is mounted on the right side of the barrel.

The gun's breech is inscribed with the mark of the Imperial Arsenal, Istanbul. The upper barrel surface is marked with the year: 1325 - equating to 1909; the Tugra of Sultan Abduhamid II (who reigned until 1909) and the gun number: No 53.

Provenance unknown. This gun is somewhat similar in general shape and appearance to the Skoda-produced model 99 10.4 cm field howitzer.