21 cm cannon 39
| 21 cm cannon 39 | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Military designation: | 21 cm cannon 39 |
| Manufacturer designation: | 21 cm canon VX |
| Manufacturer country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Škoda works, Plzeň |
| Development year: | 1938 |
| Production time: | 1939 to 1945 |
| Number of pieces: | 46 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Pipe length: | 9,530 m |
| Caliber : |
21 cm |
| Caliber length : | L / 52 |
| Cadence : | 1-2 rounds / min |
| Elevation range: | −4 ° to +45 degrees |
| Side straightening area: | 360 ° |
The 21 cm cannon 39 was a heavy artillery piece of the Wehrmacht during World War II .
history
The Czech Škoda works in Plzeň developed the cannon for the Turkish army in 1938. When the Wehrmacht occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939 , two guns had already been delivered. After that, production was continued under German management. Ten of the K 39 version and twenty of the improved K 39/40 were built. From 1944 onwards, production was switched to the simplified K 39/41, of which 16 were made by April 1945.
The 59,100 kilogram cannon was fully usable in the field and was driven in three loads during transport. The lifespan of a tube that shot 135 kilogram projectiles 33,000 meters was approximately 1200 rounds.
The Army Artillery Departments 767 and 768 were equipped with three batteries, each with two guns of this type.
literature
- Terry Gander, Peter Chamberlain: Encyclopedia of German Weapons 1939-1945 . 2nd Edition. Special edition. Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-613-02481-0 .
- Joachim Engelmann: The book of the artillery 1939-1945 , Dörfler Zeitgeschichte, ISBN 3-89555-179-1 .