There were a fairly limited number of disappearing gun installations around the world - many of them are still in existence. Wikipedia has a list of them - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearing_gun. The images don't remind me of the British Armstrong installations - perhaps it's American?
I am not sure my photos are of a US coastal disappearing gun. I have never seen an US coastal disappearing gun with a metal protective cover. I believe that the breech is not-US style.
"15-cm KL/40 in Küstenlafette C/07" (Verschwindlafette).
Only 24 guns were made and 20 complete mounts were mounted in five coast batteries:
-Strand Batterie and Bucht Batterie in Danzig (4 guns each). -Strand Batterie in Swinemünde (4 guns). -Dünen Batterie and Strand Batterie in Borkum (4 guns each). Yours sincerely, Guy François.
The first image could be a Russian 229mm (9") heavy coastal mortar, Model 1877. The carriage on the attached image is different but the barrel is similar. I'd guess the image is of a German captured gun.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Tuesday 20th of April 2010 02:52:49 PM
The Wikipedia list misses out the carriage and emplacement which you can still see at Pendennis Castle in Cornwall (though the gun itself is not an original disapperer)
Ref. your April 20th message, the second image illustrates the Rheinmetall version of the 21cm Morser. The system was not accepted by the Imperial Army. It was thought some years ago that a lone battery of this morser ( 2 produced ? ) was pressed into service during the 1916 artillerie expansion, but I've not seen any photographic evidence.
Your assumption is correct; the system is indeed the 15cm K16. Actually a rather rare pic as the splinter shield is fitted with the seldom used side additions.
Yes - i can remember to have seen this in a documentation about modern narval artillery short ago . This gun was to defend submarines and also planned to arm them with it ...
Will have to research where and inform you soon !
best regards
Gerd
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