Landships II

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Post Info TOPIC: Gun to Identify.


Legend

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Gun to Identify.
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Unusual 9-spoke wheels. Can't i.d. it so far.

(Dictated by Baldwin and signed in his absence)



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General

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The photo is of a German 21cm Moetser 1912 with the standard metal wheels.  See this page from my web site:

http://www.lovettartillery.com/MAT_21cm_MRS_Detail.html


R/

Ralph Lovett



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Ralph Lovett


Legend

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Ah, so it is. Thank you, Ralph. Is part or all of the recoil missing?

I'm enquiring on behalf of a friend, you understand.

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General

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It looks like the upper recoil, shield and possibly the breech is missing.

R/

Ralph

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Ralph Lovett


Hero

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James -

  What is the origin of this photograph ?   The 21cm is quite common,  and Ralph has given an accurate appraisal of the weapon, and it's condition.

I believe the pic is post-war,   but it contains curious tid-bits of interest.  Firstly, what of the building in the background.  Is it European , and is it battle damaged ? Secondly,  the rolling stock carrying the morser appears  narrow gauge( 60cm).   Note how the wheels of the morser are carried on out-rigged platforms extensions.
And lastly,  the lokomotive is diesel electric ~!    To my knowledge they did not come into use until the mid '20s.   Can the stenciling on the driver's cab be dechiphered ?   Anyone ?

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Legend

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The pic was actually sent to me by our friend Baldwin. I'm sure he'll provide the details when he sees the post. The houses look European - they have mansard roofs - and I suspect it's war damage.

The loco, B tells me, is a British Westinghouse. He knows very much more about the subject than I do, and I shan't presume to answer on his behalf, but I found this:

British Westinghouse, of Trafford Park, Manchester, received an order from the War Department for one hundred 4wPE locomotives in 1916, to be used on military service in France. The first three, numbered 2001 to 2003, were assembled by Nasmyth Wilson at Patricroft and delivered to Dinas Junction for testing in February 1917. Following the successful tests, it is believed they were sent to the Army's Longmoor Depot in Hampshire.

http://wapedia.mobi/en/British_Westinghouse

http://www.trafford.gov.uk/content/tca/display_image.asp?ImageID=1751

As it happens, my mother grew up a couple of hundred yards from the factory, on the exotically-named Third Avenue. It's long since been demolished, but I remember it as a kid, by which time it had become Metropolitan Vickers. A lot of the older inhabitants still called it "The Westinghouse".



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Hero

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Thanks ,  James.   The sites are most enlightening.   I noted the tracks serving the factory are clearly standard gauge.   Perhaps the loko in the photograph is in flanders afterall.   
Looking again at the morser,  it appears an internal explosion has removed not just the breach ,  but the entire receiver group.

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Hero

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Guy's
I knew you would come up with the good's!!!!
The loco is as has been stated a British Westinghouse and the wagon is a modified E class used to carry the 18pdr and Howitzer's. With the light railways steam was used from the standard gauge railhead and then to P/E locos. The idea being they would be less conspicous to enemy observation. At the front of the loco you can make out the trolley poles these were the "electric" bit the idea being that they could get power from overhead lines,the bright spark who thought this one out forgot about the "sparks"!!!! which would have made them ideal target practice for the enemy and the idea was dropped.
The photo would have been taken "on active service" most probably after some battle.The Germans used the 60cm gauge as well so after advances the Allies did use German systems just connecting up with thiers.
I will ask Phill to put some of his vids on it will give you an idea of the Light Railway systems.
Sorry for the delay in replying just got back from hols.
Many thanks


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Barry John


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Ralph, Wesley here from Alexandria, VA, we spoke on the phone several times this past summer about the restoration of that 155mm mle. 1877 de Bange in CT (incidentally I was unable to make it to your museum in Sept.; the wedding I was at took up all my time and it was raining cats and dogs that weekend in Atlanta). Anyway, I thought that the earlier 21 cm Mörser was the model of 1910 not 1912? Is this just due to disinformation in the earlier source materials?

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Wesley Thomas
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