Thank you for your last answer and sorry for delay. I did not know this mountain gun model. Krupp or Rheinmetall model?
In the "German Artillery of WW1" book of Herbert Jäger is not mentioned this 7cm M1909 mountain gun model
I need your help again to Id. correctly this guns: I think they are a 21cm M10 barrel trailer and a 7.7cm Fk16 behind a Büssing tractor but I'm not sure. Can you confirm this?
This is a commercial photo of Krupp's entry in the anti-balloon (Ballonabwehr, or BAK for short) that held some interest at the turn of the century. They jproduced two versions; 7,7cm L/27 BAK ( ;short recouperator), and 7,7cm L/29 ( long recouperator ). Two examples of each existed, but neither was adopted by the Imperial Army. However, after the capture of the Flander's coast the Germans noticed the increased annoyance of aggresive Brit aircraft , and began creating additional BAK batteries to combat them. The aformentioned Krupp guns were pressed into service , and formed a batterie to serve with the 4 Armee in Flanders.
They were credited with bringing down 2 aircraft, and damaging a few others as I recall.
I'm not aware of any foriegn sales before the war, nor do I know the guns eventual fate; lthough it is likely they were replaced as wear and tear took it's toll.
;.... the L/29 had a recouperator housing that actually extended 5 inches or so beyound the muzzle. These guns were early design subjects of long recoil that were seperate test beds for the study of returning to battery while at extreme elevations; a science unto itself ( the Brit 13pdr AA is an example of trial, and failure in this area).
I have the same photograph of the russian gun and an other with the carriage hauled by Holt Tractor.I think the gun is a russian 152 mm coast gun modified for road moving. Yours sincerely, Guy François.
It is not a german Gun.The breech is a Canet model "à tir rapide". It is a russian coast gun captured on russian coast (Gulf of Riga or other islands). Yours sincerely, Guy François.
I failed to see your post of the fortress artillerie piece.
The photo you posted illustrates the KuK 8cm M5 Minimalschartenkanone ( Kasemattkanone ) This piece was of exceptional design for it's day. When accepted by the KuK Festungsartillerie, it was the first purpose designed casement piece fitted with long recoil, and rigid carriage. ( previous designs relied on either an anchored bore ring, or carriage recoil buffers,... as the caibre increased. )
I am intrigued buy the breech as it is rectangular - suggesting it is a purchase or capture perhaps as the vast bulk of French guns have cylindrical breeches? Posibly Russian??
At a guess I would suggest that its not bigger than 75mm or 3" approximately or 4" / 105mm max.
-- Edited by Brennan on Tuesday 26th of January 2010 05:16:25 AM
Indeed these are off-the-shelf Krupp items. The gun to the right is well identified elsewhere on the forum, however the speicman to the left is rarely seen in photographs. This is the Rumanian upgrade of their initial modern field gun procurement( 9cm C73/88 ) from Krupp. Though still without a carraige recoil, the gun has been given a prominant splinter shield. ( I have only 3 other pics of this piece in my collection. ) Yes, both pics show "booty" likely after the Rumanian 2nd Army's failed October Flmânda Offensive . Interestingly, note the KuK soldiers looking on.
The C73/88 is an interesting gun - I would have thought a gun shield wasn't very useful on a gun with no recoil/recuperator since the crew has got to back away from the gun when it's fired so protection from the muzzle blast and splinters is a bit moot except when the gun is being loaded.
There are lots of the Krupp commercial guns in Australia - they were sold in large numbers to the Turks and many were captured in Palestine in 1918 by the Australian Light Horse. Some of the survivors in Queensland are recorded at www.ammsbrisbane.com/documentation.htm.
.... splinter shields were primarily intend to render some crew protection against counter-battery , and small arms fire. Shell splinters were quite effective in slicing up gunners. ( In today's media the term "shrapnel" is incorrectly used in discribing injuries from splinters. )