"In April, 17 Meiji (1884), Italian Artillery Major Pompeio Grillo was engaged as a teacher in gun making. In June, in the Osaka Arsenal the trial making of 19 cm. and 24 cm. long cannons and 28 cm. howitzers was started. In September, Antonio Fornelis, an Italian engineer and Giacomo Hisso, an assistant engineer, were engaged."
If any one has a PDF copy of the Brassys 1892 or at least the relevant section I would be most interested
A good account can be found with many reference to the use of the 11" howitzers including observation for fall of shot by balloon:
Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese war Vol II(1904)
Image of a later Italian 11 inch howitzer with interupted screw breech from Brasseys 1891 pg 306 the text mentions an earlier version, 4 men were needed for loading.
...Image of a later Italian 11 inch howitzer with interupted screw breech from Brasseys 1891 pg 306 the text mentions an earlier version, 4 men were needed for loading.
Unless there was a Corporal Seyit or two around. Anyone who has manhandled 200 litre (44 imp gal, 55 US gal) drums of water, fuel or oil around knows what a 180-210 kg load feels like. Now pile a 3 bushel bag of oats on top, pick the whole lot up off the ground and carry it up steps.
The Japanese 28cm gun was a Krupp design built under licence. Unusally for a Krupp design it had a screw breech rather than a sliding wedge breech.
The Italians also built a similar gun under licence.
Regards,
Charlie
 But still, what was the origin of 28-cm japanese L/10 heavy howitzer? Krupp or W.G. Armstrong? Even in Wikipedia in different languages we haven't any identity!
In English, German & Japanese Wiki we have Krupp origin, but in Italian - Armstrong!
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obice_280_mm
On wich side one can see the truth?
-- Edited by Capitan Print on Saturday 28th of March 2015 05:30:08 PM
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Our wifes are charged cannons! (the words from Russian folk song)!
Believing Wikipedia in any language is a problematic thing.
Kosar in his book - "Artillerie im 20. Jahrhundert" notes that (as best I can translate from the original German)
"Originally supplied by Krupp. Japan bought guns from Italy, also built these guns at Arisaka / Arsenal Osaka and sold some during the First World War to Russia"
Well! But Wikipedia in the three languages tells about the Krupp's origin of the gun also! And I don't believe in it!))) So, Mr. Todd is unright here in his article on the gun? And how do you explain the screw breech in the Italian and Japanese 28-cm howitzers? They couldn't make the siliding wedge breeches by Krupp pattern? Even in Russia Krupp technology of that type of breeches was introduced in artillery industry. And there were Russian 11" heavy mortars M1877 with wedge breeches - they can be considered as a clones of the Krupp's guns! Why Krupp had to make such a special guns for Italy?
-- Edited by Capitan Print on Saturday 28th of March 2015 04:36:34 PM
__________________
Our wifes are charged cannons! (the words from Russian folk song)!