15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15

15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15

15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15 in transport position in The Artillery Museum of Finland
Type Heavy howitzer
Place of origin Austria-Hungary
Service history
In service 1916-1945
Used by Austria-Hungary
Austria
Czechoslovakia
Nazi Germany
Finland
Wars World War I
World War II
Production history
Designer Skoda
Designed 1914-1916
Manufacturer Skoda
Produced 1916-1918
Number built 57
Specifications
Weight 5,560 kilograms (12,260 lb)
Barrel length 2.99 metres (9 ft 10 in) L/20

Shell separate-loading, cased charge
Caliber 149.1 mm (5.87 in)
Breech horizontal sliding block
Recoil hydro-pneumatic
Carriage box trail
Elevation -5° to +65°
Traverse
Rate of fire 2 rpm
Muzzle velocity 508 m/s (1,666 ft/s)
Maximum firing range 11,500 metres (12,600 yd)

The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15 was a heavy howitzer used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. Austrian and Czech guns were taken into Wehrmacht service after the Anschluss and the occupation of Czechoslovakia as the 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 15(t) or (ö).

The M. 15 was adapted from a fortress turret howitzer design to throw the same ammunition as the schwere Feldhaubitze M. 14 some 3.5 kilometres (3,800 yd) further. It didn't normally breakdown for transport, but could be disassembled into four loads for transport in mountainous areas.

The first five weapons were delivered in the first half of 1916. A total of 57 barrels and 56 carriages were completed by the end of the war.[1]

The Finns purchased twenty weapons after the end of the Winter War. They arrived on the SS Widor on 9 October 1940. They were initially issued to Heavy Artillery Battalions 21, 22 and 28. They were unpopular with the field artillery as they were thought to be too heavy and were withdrawn from field duty during the Continuation War. Some went to equip the Maaselkä Fortification Artillery Battalions.[2]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M 15.

Notes

  1. Ortner, p. 519
  2. Jagerplatoon retrieved 12 August 2008


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