10.5 cm turret cannon

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The 10.5 cm L52 turret cannon is a 10.5 cm cannon 39 of the Swiss Army that is permanently installed in a tank turret . These fortress guns were taken out of service with the abandonment of the artillery works in the mid-1990s.

camouflaged tank turret with built-in turret cannon, AW San Carlo
partially exposed tank turret 10.5 cm

Equipping the artillery works with the 10.5 cm tank turret cannons 39 L52

A total of 22 tank turrets 10.5 cm were manufactured and installed in the fortresses of St. Maurice, Gotthard and Sargans between 1939 and 1943 due to the tactical urgency:

St. Maurice

  • 2 PzT Dailly - "Les Planaux"

Gotthard

  • 1 PzT Airolo - "Foppa Grande"
  • 2 PzT Gotthard - San Carlo
  • 3 PzT Andermatt - "Gütsch"
  • 4 PzT Furka - Fuchsegg

Sargans

The tank turret

Sketch of a 10.5 cm tank turret gun
Stairs to the tank turret with paternoster ammunition elevator

The tank turret is divided into two rooms by an intermediate floor, the gun room above and the floor room below. As a rule, the ascent to the tank turret is via stairs that can be several hundred steps long. A paternoster runs next to the stairs , via which the ammunition is transported from the ammunition magazine to the floor space of the tank turret. The pipes for compressed air, telephone, fresh air and electricity also run through the access tunnel.

In the floor space of the armored turret there is an ammunition rack for 20 projectiles and cases and six cargo cans along the wall . On the wall there are five pins to which the articulated rod with the connections for the upper part of the tower is connected. The articulated rod prevents the cables from tearing out when the tower is turned. The transfer must be done by hand.

Main parts

  • Tube with bottom piece and closure
  • Cradle with reverse brake and hauler
  • Mount
  • Straightening device

Technical specifications

Richtfeld

Directional display of the turret cannon

The straightening device

  • Side straightening drum
  • Leveling drum

The automatic loading device

The automatic loading device was used to place the floors in each elevation.

Components of the loading device

  • Compressed air system
    • Twin compressor group
    • Pressure vessel
    • Storage boiler
    • Compressed air cylinder (as a pressure reserve)
    • Main and control switch
    • Line system with various pressure reducing valves
  • Loading device
    • Loading tube
    • Tube parallel cylinder with piston and rod
    • Loading lever with control cam

The gun crew

  • 1 gun leader (Uof) is responsible for:
    • the gun post,
    • proper handling of ammunition,
    • Gun readiness to fire,
    • Compliance with the regulations regarding carbon monoxide ,
    • exact acceptance and forwarding of commands and messages,
    • Calculation of subjects and dispersion.
  • 1 judge is responsible for:
    • Setting the azimuth (page),
    • Setting the elevation (height),
    • the triggering of the shot by the FIRE command.
  • 1 lock attendant is responsible for:
    • the shot,
    • the number of shots fired,
    • the free return pipe,
    • the measurement of the return after the first shot of each series,
    • the operation of the blow-out device.
  • 1 loader is responsible for:
    • loading grenades and casings,
    • the free committee,
    • the pipe clearance.
  • 1 Tempierer is responsible for:
    • the use of commanded detonators,
    • setting the temp.
  • 2 ammunition controllers are responsible for:
    • the commanded cargo,
    • the return of the ammunition.
  • 1 informing chief
  • 3 informers are responsible for:
    • the provision of ammunition from the ammunition magazines,
    • the preparation of the sealed cases.

The ammunition

The following ammunition was fired:

  • Steel grenade
  • Smoke grenade
  • Smoke grenade
  • Training grenade
  • Lighting bullet (very rare!)

Detonator

  • Momentary time fuse MZZ
    • This detonator detonated on impact with the ground or after the set time in the air.
  • Momentary delay fuse MVZ
    • This detonator detonated on impact with the ground or, if so set, only after penetrating the ground.

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