38 cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16
Encyclopedia
The 38 cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16 (38 centimetres (15 in) Bedding Howitzer
Model 16) was a superheavy siege howitzer used by Austria-Hungary
during World War I
.
The design was based on a scaled-up Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M. 16
design, which sped things up considerably. The howitzer was transported in four loads, the barrel, mount and one for each half of the firing, or bedding, platform. Each load was carried by an eight-wheeled electric-powered trailer with the electricity provided by a Daimler
Artillerie-Generatorzugwagen (Artillery Generator truck) M. 16, designed by Ferdinand Porsche
. The 6-cylinder, 150 hp, 20.32 liter gasoline engine powered two electric generators which fed electric motors in each wheel of the trailer and the rear wheels of the truck. Top speed was 14 kilometers per hour. The solid rubber tires could be removed and the trucks could tow their trailers on the rails. For longer distances they could be towed by ordinary locomotives.
; it had trunnion mounts for both types and the gun used the forward mounts while the howitzer used the rear ones.
The fate of these weapons is unclear. None were put into service by the Nazis after the Anschluss
, possibly because of a lack of ammunition, and it is not certain that Romania actually used their weapon during World War II
. Howitzer No. 6 survives in the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum
, Vienna
, Austria, while 'Gudrun', Howitzer No. 2 is in in Bucharest
, in the National Military Museum, Romania.
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
Model 16) was a superheavy siege howitzer used by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
History and Design
Two howitzers were initially ordered and both 'Barbara' and 'Gudrun', as they were nicknamed, were delivered in time to participate in the South Tyrol offensive of May 1916. They were very successful and the Austro-Hungarians ordered another fourteen howitzers and two spare barrels, although only eight of these were delivered before the end of the war.The design was based on a scaled-up Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M. 16
Skoda 305 mm Model 1911
The Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M. 11 was a siege howitzer produced by Škoda Works and used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.-Development:...
design, which sped things up considerably. The howitzer was transported in four loads, the barrel, mount and one for each half of the firing, or bedding, platform. Each load was carried by an eight-wheeled electric-powered trailer with the electricity provided by a Daimler
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
Artillerie-Generatorzugwagen (Artillery Generator truck) M. 16, designed by Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
. The 6-cylinder, 150 hp, 20.32 liter gasoline engine powered two electric generators which fed electric motors in each wheel of the trailer and the rear wheels of the truck. Top speed was 14 kilometers per hour. The solid rubber tires could be removed and the trucks could tow their trailers on the rails. For longer distances they could be towed by ordinary locomotives.
Combat use
A 52 cubic meter pit had to be excavated to hold the firing platform which took between eight and twenty hours, depending on soil conditions. The bedding halves then were winched into position on rails and jacked down into the pit. The carriage was then mounted on the bedding and the barrel mated to it. All this took between six to eight hours to prepare for firing. A small tilting crane was mounted on the left side of the turntable to move shells from their transport carts to the loading tray. It was also used to assemble the loading tray and to change the breech. The howitzer could only be loaded at 11° elevation because the shells had to be rammed by a hand-powered winch with pushrod. The eight later weapons used the same carriage as the 24 cm Kanone M. 1624 cm Kanone M. 16
The 24 cm Kanone M. 16 was a superheavy siege gun used by Austria-Hungary during World War I and by Nazi Germany during World War II. Only two were finished during World War I, but the other six were completed in the early twenties and served with the Czechoslovak Army until they were bought by the...
; it had trunnion mounts for both types and the gun used the forward mounts while the howitzer used the rear ones.
The fate of these weapons is unclear. None were put into service by the Nazis after the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
, possibly because of a lack of ammunition, and it is not certain that Romania actually used their weapon during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Howitzer No. 6 survives in the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum
Heeresgeschichtliches Museum
The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum is a military history museum located in Vienna, Austria. It claims to be the oldest and largest purpose-built military history museum in the world...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, while 'Gudrun', Howitzer No. 2 is in in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, in the National Military Museum, Romania.
See also
- BL 15 inch HowitzerBL 15 inch HowitzerThe Ordnance BL 15 inch howitzer was developed by the Coventry Ordnance Works late in 1914 in response to the success of its design of the 9.2 inch siege howitzer.-History and use:...
British equivalent
External links
- the 38 cm M 16 on Landships
- the Art.-Generatorzugwagen on Landships
- DATABASE OF THE WW1 SURVIVING ARTILLERY
- Pictures of Gudrun's transport four wagon convoy in Bucharest: Barrel, Cradle, Half base, Both base wagons (the wagons in the far right belong to the 42 cm Haubitze M. 16 though), Shells.