F-531 is a British 152 mm high-explosive shell recorded in Soviet ammunition tables for the Vickers 152 mm howitzer and the 152 mm D-1 gun-howitzer. The tables give a 44.91 kg projectile with a 5.7 kg explosive fill, while a specialist history describes Soviet F-531 stocks being adapted for emergency direct-fire use near Moscow in November 1941.
A specialist artillery history describes Soviet forces near Moscow in November 1941 adapting F-531 shells for 6-inch siege guns found in depots; the guns were moved to threatened approaches and used from ambush positions against German tanks.
Soviet ammunition tables and artillery history link F-531 to the Vickers 152 mm howitzer family and to later D-1 ammunition-table compatibility.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Towed 152 mm gun-howitzer | The D-1 ammunition table lists F-531 as a British high-explosive shell for the Vickers 152 mm howitzer and records the 44.91 kg projectile weight and 5.7 kg fill. Sources: 152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), 152 mm howitzer M1909/30 |
F-531 is best documented through Soviet ammunition tables and later artillery-history discussion rather than through a surviving manufacturer sheet. The table evidence gives the shell's weight and explosive fill; the historical account explains why Soviet stocks mattered after the original Vickers howitzers became scarce.
| Context | Documented connection | Reader note |
|---|---|---|
| Vickers 152 mm howitzer | Listed as a British high-explosive shell for the Vickers 152 mm howitzer. | ArmorWiki also identifies the longer Soviet designation 53-F-531 in the Vickers ammunition set. |
| D-1 ammunition table | Retained in the D-1 table with a 44.91 kg projectile weight and 5.7 kg explosive fill. | This supports compatibility-table context, not a manufacturer identification. |
| 1941 Battle of Moscow | Described as adapted for older 6-inch siege guns during the November 1941 defense near Moscow. | The source ties the shell to emergency direct-fire use by Soviet forces, separate from the D-1 relationship. |
A specialist history says the Red Army Artillery Directorate introduced the 52-G-531 index for the Vickers 152 mm howitzer in 1938 and describes F-531 as one of the high-explosive shells associated with its ammunition set.
Sources: ArmorWiki Vickers 152 mm Howitzer History
The same history describes F-531 stocks being adapted for older 6-inch guns during the defense of Moscow after Soviet forces found suitable guns and shells in depots.
Sources: ArmorWiki Vickers 152 mm Howitzer History
