10 cm houfnice vz. 30 (howitzer)

10 cm houfnice vz. 30
Type Howitzer
Place of origin Czechoslovakia
Service history
In service 1930-1945
Used by  Czechoslovakia
 Nazi Germany
 Romania
 Slovakia
Wars World War II
Production history
Designer Skoda
Designed 1928-1930
Manufacturer Skoda
Produced 1932-39
Specifications
Weight 1,766 kg (3,893 lb)
Barrel length 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) L/25

Caliber 100 mm (3.94 in)
Carriage split trail
Elevation -8° to +80°
Traverse
Rate of fire 6-8 rpm
Muzzle velocity 430 m/s (1,411 ft/s)
Maximum firing range 10,600 m (11,600 yd)

The 10 cm houfnice vz. 30 (howitzer model 30) was a Czechoslovak howitzer used in the Second World War. The 158 weapons captured after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 were taken into Wehrmacht service as the 10 cm leFH 30(t). It was used by a variety of German units during World War II, including II. and III./SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 3 between 1939 and 1940[1] and SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 51 during 1941.[2] 30 served with the Slovak Army.[3]

Design and history

It was modified from an earlier Skoda design, the 10 cm houfnice vz. 28, that attempted to combine the field and mountain gun roles into one weapon. The Czechoslovak army decided to adopt it to replace their plethora of aged Austro-Hungarian field guns. They replaced the wheels with modern rubber-tired wheels, but curiously chose to retain the crewman's seat on the gunshield. It used the same carriage that could break down into three pieces for transport as the 8 cm kanon vz. 30. It fired a 16 kilograms (35 lb) shell.

Notes

  1. Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 2/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (10 May 1940), 1990
  2. Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 3/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (22 June 1941), 1992
  3. Kliment and Nakládal, p. 122

References

External links


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