10 cm cannon 14
| 10 cm cannon 14 | |
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | 10 cm cannon 14 |
| Manufacturer country: |
.svg){kind=small} German Empire
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| Developer / Manufacturer: | Croup , food |
| Development year: | 1911-14 |
| Production time: | 1914 to 1916 |
| Number of pieces: | 724 |
| Weapon Category: | cannon |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : |
10.5 cm |
| Caliber length : | L / 35 |
| Elevation range: | -5 ° to + 45 ° angular degrees |
| Side straightening area: | 6 ° |
| Furnishing | |
| Sighting device : | Panoramic telescope |
| Closure Type : | Crank lock |
The 10 cm cannon 14 was a heavy field cannon that was used by the artillery of the German army during the First World War .
development
10 cm cannon 99
At the beginning of 1893, the Artillery Examination Commission (APK) proposed that the heavy 12 cm cannon 1880 (see 12 cm K.) be discarded, as it no longer met the field requirements with regard to the rate of fire, accuracy at greater distances and effectiveness at the target . The required improvements included a quick-loading breech, case ammunition with the same bullet weight, a modified chassis and a higher muzzle velocity.
It differed from the s.12cm K. by the 2 cm lower chassis with modernized limber, mount and pipe cradle as well as hydraulic pipe brake. The smokeless powder RP 97 was used for the propellant charge. The weight including the cradle was 1280 kg, together with the 1360 kg heavy limber, the total weight of the train was 2640 kg, which exceeded the weight of the heavy field howitzer 93 by 440 kg. Extensive test and maneuvering operations followed, and the high rate of fire and the firing range of 10,200 m, 2300 m further than that of the 12 cm cannon 80 and 4150 m further that of the sFH 93 were impressive.
10 cm cannon 04
In the meantime, Krupp began experiments with the 15 cm experimental howitzer (VH 99) , and the Ehrhardt company, which is a strong exporter, experimented with a 10 cm gun, which was sold as a 10 cm Ehrhardt model 1902 on September 30, 1902 Kummersdorf firing range was tested. After the gun was not ready for the export exhibition in Düsseldorf in 1902, the 10 cm Ehrhardt model 1903 with a lower height and 10,000 m range was offered after further technical improvements . However, the competitor Krupp had already successfully tested its own 10 cm gun in Kummersdorf and in 1904 made six of them available for further tests. The tests were successful and led to series production from 1905 under the name 10 cm cannon in 1904 . The gun replaced both the K. 99 and the 15 cm cannon (long) 92. The latter was initially considered a favorite because of the better shrapnel ammunition , but the higher rate of fire of the 10 cm K. 04 was the decisive factor.
The 10 cm K. 04 was assigned to the cannons as a flat fire gun in accordance with the principles applicable in the German army , in contrast to the howitzers or mine throwers firing at steeper angles . It took over many technical developments from the 15 cm heavy field howitzer 02. Instead of heavy wooden foundations, light straw mats were placed under the mount of both guns, which were supposed to avoid sinking into soft ground conditions. Although primarily intended as a cannon for direct aiming, the gun received the same round-view telescope with line graduation of the sFH 02, which was necessary for indirect aiming , which enabled the gun to be set up sideways in the basic direction by a theodolite . The crank for height adjustment was on the left side of the cradle. The transmission gear, which acted directly on a rack on the barrel cradle via a gear, was simpler than that of the sFH 02. The new cannon was the first German cannon to have a long barrel return. At the same time, it was equipped with a hydromechanical braking and recovery device. This guaranteed a steady stance when firing in low angle groups and at the same time, the lack of messages from the cannon significantly reduced the rate of fire. However, the long pipe return was not yet completely satisfactory.
10 cm cannon 14
In 1911 the APK issued new requirements for a 10 cm gun; thereupon the war ministry asked Krupp and Ehrhardt / Rheinmetall to produce a prototype each. The Krupp test gun turned out to be too heavy and first had to be shortened, so that it was not until 1913 that a test comparison was made, which entailed a number of improvements to two new prototypes. After the first attempts at shooting against air targets on the Frischen Haff on the Baltic Sea as early as 1909/10 , whereby the 10 cm cannon 09 with a faster loading mechanism and an elevation of up to 65 ° had prevailed, the new test types were also used for target combat Finished the shooting range in Swinoujscie . The further development dragged on, however: A test report with further suggestions for improvement was submitted to the War Ministry on March 8, 1913, which described deficiencies in both cannons, therefore two improved guns were requested again, and further tests followed in 1914.
When the war broke out in 1914 , Krupp finally received a production order for initially 128 guns, which were put into service from May 1915. Similar to the sFH 13, the pipe was moved by a side and a leveling machine. In addition, the cannon could be pivoted through 360 ° thanks to a circular bedding and was initially used temporarily as an anti-aircraft gun until it could be replaced by special anti-aircraft guns. The circular bedding was later discontinued. However, the cannon proved its worth as a field gun. Another difference to the K 04 was the variable return of the barrel, which guaranteed a steady stand when shooting with different barrel elevations.
The 10 cm cannon 14 was further developed into the 10 cm cannon 17 in the course of the First World War .
The actual caliber of the 10 cm cannon 04 as well as the 10 cm cannon 14 was 105.2 mm.
swell
literature
- Hans Linnenkohl: From a single shot to a fire roller . The race between technology and tactics in the First World War. Bernad & Graefe, Bonn 1996 ISBN 3-7637-5966-2
Web links
- List of Preserved Guns - (Online at passioncompassion1418.com, accessed April 6, 2013)
- Dates (French) - (Online at clham.org, accessed April 6, 2013)
- Ralph Lovett: Development of the German 10 cm Guns - (Online at lovettartillery.com, accessed April 6, 2013)
Individual evidence