7.7 cm FK 16
Encyclopedia
The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7 cm FK 16) was a field gun used by Germany
in World War I
. Surviving examples in German service were rebarreled postwar as the 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
(neuer Art, meaning "new model").
field gun was very mobile, but once the war settled into trench warfare its lack of range became a serious disadvantage. The FK 16 was intended to remedy this problem. The barrel was lengthened, it was given a box carriage to allow for greater elevation and hence range increased. It was also given separate-loading ammunition to reduce powder consumption and barrel wear at short ranges, although this had the drawback of reducing the rate of fire compared to the older gun.
It was a prematurely rushed into production in 1916 and early guns suffered from a number of defects, mainly stemming from the German use of substitute materials to reduce consumption of strategic metals. It also suffered from a large number of premature detonations of its shells during 1916. These were traced to poor quality control of its shells, which were sometimes too large in diameter and problems with the picric acid
used as high explosive filler in lieu of TNT. The picric acid would form very sensitive picric salts within days of filling the shells and would often detonate from the shock of firing. Lacquering the insides of the shells and spraying them with a turpentine/starch solution neutralized the picric acid and prevented it from forming picric salts.
The barrel of this gun was mounted on the carriage of the 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09
as the 7.7 cm Kanone in Haubitzelafette
to allow it greater elevation and range. Belgium modified the guns it received as post-war reparations as the Canon de 75 mle GP11
and the Canon de 75 mle GP111
. After the war, some guns were retained by Germany, re-barreled into 75mm caliber, and used in World War II
as 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 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...
. Surviving examples in German service were rebarreled postwar as the 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
7.5 cm FK 16 nA
The 7.5 cm Feld Kanone 16 neuer Art was a field gun used by Germany in World War II. Originally built as the World War I-era 7.7 cm FK 16, surviving guns in German service were rebarreled during the early Thirties in the new standard 7.5 cm caliber...
(neuer Art, meaning "new model").
History
The older 7.7 cm FK 96 n.A.7.7 cm FK 96 n.A.
The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art was a field gun used by Germany in World War I.-Description:The gun combined a barrel of the earlier 7.7 cm FK 96 with a recoil system, a new breech and a new carriage. Existing FK 96s were upgraded over time. The FK 96 n.A...
field gun was very mobile, but once the war settled into trench warfare its lack of range became a serious disadvantage. The FK 16 was intended to remedy this problem. The barrel was lengthened, it was given a box carriage to allow for greater elevation and hence range increased. It was also given separate-loading ammunition to reduce powder consumption and barrel wear at short ranges, although this had the drawback of reducing the rate of fire compared to the older gun.
It was a prematurely rushed into production in 1916 and early guns suffered from a number of defects, mainly stemming from the German use of substitute materials to reduce consumption of strategic metals. It also suffered from a large number of premature detonations of its shells during 1916. These were traced to poor quality control of its shells, which were sometimes too large in diameter and problems with the picric acid
Picric acid
Picric acid is the chemical compound formally called 2,4,6-trinitrophenol . This yellow crystalline solid is one of the most acidic phenols. Like other highly nitrated compounds such as TNT, picric acid is an explosive...
used as high explosive filler in lieu of TNT. The picric acid would form very sensitive picric salts within days of filling the shells and would often detonate from the shock of firing. Lacquering the insides of the shells and spraying them with a turpentine/starch solution neutralized the picric acid and prevented it from forming picric salts.
The barrel of this gun was mounted on the carriage of the 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09
10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09
The 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 was a howitzer used by Germany in World War I.-History:It was originally built by Rheinmetall as the 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98, an old-fashioned, fixed-recoil weapon, but was redesigned by Krupp between 1902 and 1904 with a new recoil mechanism and a new carriage...
as the 7.7 cm Kanone in Haubitzelafette
7.7 cm Kanone in Haubitzelafette
The 7.7 cm Kanone in Haubitzlafette was a field gun used by Germany in World War I. It consisted of the barrel of the 7.7 cm FK 16 mounted on the carriage of the 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 in an attempt to get more elevation and range than the old 7.7 cm FK 96 n.A....
to allow it greater elevation and range. Belgium modified the guns it received as post-war reparations as the Canon de 75 mle GP11
Canon de 75 mle GP11
The Canon de 75 mle GP11 was a field gun used by Belgium during World War II. Cockerill mounted lengthened Canon de 75 mle TR barrels on ex-German 7.7 cm FK 16 gun carriages received as reparations after World War I...
and the Canon de 75 mle GP111
Canon de 75 mle GP111
The Canon de 75 mle GP111 was a field gun used by Belgium during World War II. Cockerill mounted a sleeve in the barrels of ex-German 7.7 cm FK 16 guns received as reparations after World War I to convert them to the standard Belgian 75mm ammunition. After 1940, the Wehrmacht designated captured...
. After the war, some guns were retained by Germany, re-barreled into 75mm caliber, and used in 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...
as 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
7.5 cm FK 16 nA
The 7.5 cm Feld Kanone 16 neuer Art was a field gun used by Germany in World War II. Originally built as the World War I-era 7.7 cm FK 16, surviving guns in German service were rebarreled during the early Thirties in the new standard 7.5 cm caliber...
.