I've been restoring a 10.5cm le FH 16 (I believe) for the Town of Andover, MA until I read an excerpt from H Jager on another subject which gave me pause. The carriage has a date of 1918 on it but the barrel's markings are from 1910. Based on the markings I believe I have a Reinmetall howitzer but now am not sure. Can anyone help on this (perhaps forward H Jager's email address if he's still in the biz?
Indeed this is an Rheinmetall lFH 16. I trust the only 1910 date you've found is stamped on the breach, Corrrect ? When researching German ordnance remember artillerie pieces were periodically returned to factory for rohr relining; in as much as the propellents of the period was terribly corrosive. Nothing of worth was wasted by ordnance personnel; aptly proved by this lFH16 fitted with a lFH 96/09 receiver. ( though the breach chamber length was increased to allow two-piece ammuniton use, the breach receiver & block remained unchanged.) Other than the battered splinter shield, this is a fine looking piece.
Correct, the only markings on the barrel are that of the 1910 designation. Once the howitzer was sandblasted I noticed a nice relief on the barrel itself which was a crown and the Roman Numeral "II." Below that was "Ultima Ratio Regum." Again, my indications are the Crown of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Latin translation of "The King's Final Answer" or "The Final Argument of Kings," depending on your Latin.