Is this a howitzer? In Bill Billett's book "War Trophies" it is listed as a gun. In Beaconsfield it is described as a 15cm sFH13 Lang Howitzer. Does this mean that it is a long barrelled howitzer? (I was an infantryman I don't know about such things!).
The story behind this gun (howitzer?) is that it was taken as payment for a builder's job in Launceston, Tasmania and donated to Beaconsfield by it's new owner.
Is this a howitzer? In Bill Billett's book "War Trophies" it is listed as a gun. In Beaconsfield it is described as a 15cm sFH13 Lang Howitzer. Does this mean that it is a long barrelled howitzer? (I was an infantryman I don't know about such things!).
The story behind this gun (howitzer?) is that it was taken as payment for a builder's job in Launceston, Tasmania and donated to Beaconsfield by it's new owner.
I think it's a problem with the original records that Billett worked from. If it was a 150mm gun it would be something of the scale of 15cm gun in the Carribean Gardens or the North Head gun.
The description is encoded in the German designation - the sFH stands for "schwer Feldhaubitze" - "schwer" = "large or heavy", "feld" = "field" and "haubitze" = "howitzer".
The "lang" in the designation refers to a lengthened barrel in the 1917 modification of the original design. The 1913 design had an L14 (14 calibres) barrel - the "lang" (long) version had an L17 barrel. I recommend the article on the Lovett Artillery site on the development of the 15cm howitzers (http://www.lovettartillery.com/Development_of_German_Heavy_Artillery.html)
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Friday 8th of January 2010 01:35:47 PM
Thanks, howitzer it is. The Beaconsfield "carer" says that he has the "piece that covered the gearing under the barrel" and is having it re-painted. It would seem that it is remarkedly original and complete. Definitely a candidate for urgently having a roof over it but then they all do.
Hmm..., this one might in fact be a 15cm sFH-13/02 due to the lack of a loading lever (at least I can't see one, look at the new photos of this gun posted just a few days ago under "new photos of Beaconsfield howitzer ..."); the lack of the recoil system cradle cover on front would seem to reveal a hydro-spring as opposed to the hydropneumatic recoil system used on the actual sFH-13 lang. The sFH-13/02, which was a simplified variation of the sFH-13 lang designed to help speed up production, retained the older form of hydro spring recoil system, a system prone to recoil spring breakage. The only confusing detail is the hinged shield, usually associated with the original sFH-13 lang, otherwise it seems to match the sFH-13/02 in most details, particularly in that it lacks the loader and gun-layer seats on the sides of the trail, the aforementioned lack of a loading lever (designed to release the equilibrators in order to quickly bring the ordnance to zero elevation for loading; in the sFH-13/02 the barrel had to be depressed by hand wheel). There was also the introduction on this version of a one piece sapde and trail plate.
Rest easy tHe Howitzer in Beaconsfield Tasmania wasn't tough by the bushfires, at present the West Tamar Council staff are restoring the wheel spokes which have a lot of dry rot in them. then a new coat of paint. the local RSL Sub-Branch are attemping to put a roof over the Howitzer, as we don't have a club behind us we are trying to get a grant to do the job, we will do our best to look after our war trophy
We are currently restoring a 15cm sFH13 returned to Coldwater, MI as a trophy for Company A who served with the Red Arrow Brigade in WWI. Having just stripped the howitzer to bare metal, we located its manufactured period "Spandau, 1917" and serial Nr. 3907. We are using a primer of black epoxy and repainting in a gloss version of the original olive green color for longevity. We have also used ductile iron to replace the original wood spoke wheels. Brackets and wood grain are cast into the metal.
Hmm..., this one might in fact be a 15cm sFH-13/02 due to the lack of a loading lever (at least I can't see one, look at the new photos of this gun posted just a few days ago under "new photos of Beaconsfield howitzer ..."); the lack of the recoil system cradle cover on front would seem to reveal a hydro-spring as opposed to the hydropneumatic recoil system used on the actual sFH-13 lang. The sFH-13/02, which was a simplified variation of the sFH-13 lang designed to help speed up production, retained the older form of hydro spring recoil system, a system prone to recoil spring breakage. The only confusing detail is the hinged shield, usually associated with the original sFH-13 lang, otherwise it seems to match the sFH-13/02 in most details, particularly in that it lacks the loader and gun-layer seats on the sides of the trail, the aforementioned lack of a loading lever (designed to release the equilibrators in order to quickly bring the ordnance to zero elevation for loading; in the sFH-13/02 the barrel had to be depressed by hand wheel). There was also the introduction on this version of a one piece sapde and trail plate.
