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Plate 012 · Field Gun · World War I
Canon de 75 modèle 1897
"French 75"
The first modern quick-firing field gun — a hydropneumatic recoil revolution.
Historical Record
Provenance & Service
The Canon de 75 modèle 1897 introduced the long-recoil hydropneumatic mechanism, allowing the carriage to remain stationary between shots. A trained crew could fire 15 aimed rounds per minute. It was the standard French field gun in both World Wars, and over 17,000 were built. The 'soixante-quinze' shaped a generation of artillery doctrine.