Skoda 305 mm Model 1911
Encyclopedia
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
.
and Italy
. Development work continued until 1909 when the first prototype was finished and in 1910 fired secretly in Hungary.
The weapon was able to penetrate 2 metre of reinforced concrete with its special armour piercing shell weighing 384 kg (846.6 lb). There were a few technical problems with the first piece, but after few reconstructions in 1911 the upgraded piece made another round of testing in Felixdorf
and in the mountains of Tyrol
. After that Moritz von Auffenberg
, the Minister of War, placed an order for 24 of the new weapons.
The weapon was transported in 3 sections by a 100-horsepower
15 ton Austro-Daimler
road tractor M. 12. It broke down into barrel, carriage and firing platform loads, each of which had its own trailer. It could be assembled and readied to fire in around 50 minutes.
The mortar could fire two types of shell, a heavy armour piercing shell with a delayed action fuse weighing 384 kg, and a lighter 287 kg shell fitted with an impact fuze
. The light shell was capable of creating a crater 8 meters wide and 8 meters deep, as well as killing exposed infantry up to 400 m (437.4 yd) away.
The weapon required a crew of 15 - 17, and could fire 10 to 12 rounds an hour. After firing it automatically returned to the horizontal loading position.
In 1916, the M. 11 design was upgraded and the new M. 11/16 was produced, the difference was mainly that the firing platform had been modified to allow for a traverse of 360 degrees. Also in the same year the new model was released, the M. 16. It had longer barrel (L/12) and longer range 12300 metres (13,451.4 yd) .
at the start of World War I
. They were used in concert with the German
Krupp 42 cm howitzer ("Big Bertha
") to destroy the rings of Belgian
fortresses around Liege, Namur and Antwerp (Forts Koningshooikt, Kessel and Broechem). The weapon was used on the Western front only at the beginning of the war, but on the Eastern, Italian and Serbian fronts it was used from the beginning until the end.
In 1915, ten howitzers were used in support of the Austro-Hungarian-German invasion of Serbia
under the German General August von Mackensen
. One of these is restored in Belgrade
Military Museum.
By the end of the war 79 of the weapons of all three types were in service. Only 24 were destroyed.
In the period between the world wars, large numbers of mortars were in service in Yugoslavia
(4 M. 11 and 6 M. 16), Romania
, Italy (23 M. 11, 16 M.11/16 and 16 M. 16), Czechoslovakia
(17 M. 16) and Hungary
(3 M. 11 and 2 M. 16). In Austria
there were only 2, one in the Arsenal
, Army Museum in Vienna
, the second as a training weapon in Innsbruck
.
In 1939 Germany seized all 17 pieces from Czechoslovakia and repaired the howitzer from the Arsenal Museum, designating them 30.5 cm Mörser (t), in 1941 they obtained 5 more weapons after the defeat of Yugoslavia
and placed them into service as the 30.5 cm Mörser 638(j). They saw service against Poland, France
and the Soviet Union
in World War II
where they served with Heavy Artillery Battalions (schwere Artillerie-Abteilungen) 624, 641 and 815 as well as two Heavy Static Artillery Batteries (schwere Artillerie-Batterie (bodenstandig) 230 and 779. It is unclear if the howitzers of the Romanian Army were employed on the Eastern Front
and used against the Red Army
. At least one M. 11 was seized from Yugoslavia and saw service on coastal defense in the Adriatic as the 30.5 cm Mörser 639(j). It may have been upgraded somehow as its Yugoslav designation was the 305 mm M 11/30.
The Hungarian Army used this weapon against the Yugoslavians and the USSR. The five gun was served in the 101. and 102. artillery group from 1938.
Today 4 weapons survive; the first M. 11 is in Rovereto
, Italy (Museo Storico Italiano della Guerra), the second M. 11 is displayed in Belgrade
's Military Museum
and a third M. 11 is in Bucharest
, Romania along with the only surviving M. 16.
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...
produced by Škoda Works
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
and used by the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
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...
.
Development
Development began in 1906 with a development contract being placed by the Austro-Hungarian high command with Skoda-Werke in Pilsen to develop a weapon capable of penetrating the concrete fortresses being built in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Development work continued until 1909 when the first prototype was finished and in 1910 fired secretly in Hungary.
The weapon was able to penetrate 2 metre of reinforced concrete with its special armour piercing shell weighing 384 kg (846.6 lb). There were a few technical problems with the first piece, but after few reconstructions in 1911 the upgraded piece made another round of testing in Felixdorf
Felixdorf
Felixdorf is a municipality in the district of Wiener Neustadt-Land in Lower Austria, Austria....
and in the mountains of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
. After that Moritz von Auffenberg
Moritz von Auffenberg
Moritz Freiherr von Auffenberg, Graf von Komarów , born Moritz Ritter von Auffenberg was a general of Austro-Hungarian Army.-Biography:...
, the Minister of War, placed an order for 24 of the new weapons.
Description
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
15 ton Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler was an Austrian automaker company, from 1899 until 1934. It was subsidiary of the German Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft .-Early history:...
road tractor M. 12. It broke down into barrel, carriage and firing platform loads, each of which had its own trailer. It could be assembled and readied to fire in around 50 minutes.
The mortar could fire two types of shell, a heavy armour piercing shell with a delayed action fuse weighing 384 kg, and a lighter 287 kg shell fitted with an impact fuze
Fuse (explosives)
In an explosive, pyrotechnic device or military munition, a fuse is the part of the device that initiates function. In common usage, the word fuse is used indiscriminately...
. The light shell was capable of creating a crater 8 meters wide and 8 meters deep, as well as killing exposed infantry up to 400 m (437.4 yd) away.
The weapon required a crew of 15 - 17, and could fire 10 to 12 rounds an hour. After firing it automatically returned to the horizontal loading position.
In 1916, the M. 11 design was upgraded and the new M. 11/16 was produced, the difference was mainly that the firing platform had been modified to allow for a traverse of 360 degrees. Also in the same year the new model was released, the M. 16. It had longer barrel (L/12) and longer range 12300 metres (13,451.4 yd) .
History
Eight Mörsers were loaned to the German Army and they were first fired in action on the Western FrontWestern Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
at the start of 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...
. They were used in concert with the German
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...
Krupp 42 cm howitzer ("Big Bertha
Big Bertha (Howitzer)
Big Bertha Bertha") is the name of a type of super-heavy howitzer developed by the famous armaments manufacturer Krupp in Germany on the eve of World War I...
") to destroy the rings of Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
fortresses around Liege, Namur and Antwerp (Forts Koningshooikt, Kessel and Broechem). The weapon was used on the Western front only at the beginning of the war, but on the Eastern, Italian and Serbian fronts it was used from the beginning until the end.
In 1915, ten howitzers were used in support of the Austro-Hungarian-German invasion of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
under the German General August von Mackensen
August von Mackensen
Anton Ludwig August von Mackensen , born August Mackensen, was a German soldier and field marshal. He commanded with success during the First World War and became one of the German Empire's most prominent military leaders. After the Armistice, Mackensen was interned for a year...
. One of these is restored in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
Military Museum.
By the end of the war 79 of the weapons of all three types were in service. Only 24 were destroyed.
In the period between the world wars, large numbers of mortars were in service in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(4 M. 11 and 6 M. 16), Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Italy (23 M. 11, 16 M.11/16 and 16 M. 16), Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
(17 M. 16) and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
(3 M. 11 and 2 M. 16). In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
there were only 2, one in the Arsenal
Arsenal (Vienna)
The Arsenal is a former military complex of buildings in the south-east of Vienna in the third district.Several brick buildings in a rectangle layout make up the complex which is located on a bank south of the Landstraßer Gürtel...
, Army Museum in 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...
, the second as a training weapon in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
.
In 1939 Germany seized all 17 pieces from Czechoslovakia and repaired the howitzer from the Arsenal Museum, designating them 30.5 cm Mörser (t), in 1941 they obtained 5 more weapons after the defeat of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
and placed them into service as the 30.5 cm Mörser 638(j). They saw service against Poland, France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
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...
where they served with Heavy Artillery Battalions (schwere Artillerie-Abteilungen) 624, 641 and 815 as well as two Heavy Static Artillery Batteries (schwere Artillerie-Batterie (bodenstandig) 230 and 779. It is unclear if the howitzers of the Romanian Army were employed on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
and used against the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. At least one M. 11 was seized from Yugoslavia and saw service on coastal defense in the Adriatic as the 30.5 cm Mörser 639(j). It may have been upgraded somehow as its Yugoslav designation was the 305 mm M 11/30.
The Hungarian Army used this weapon against the Yugoslavians and the USSR. The five gun was served in the 101. and 102. artillery group from 1938.
Today 4 weapons survive; the first M. 11 is in Rovereto
Rovereto
Rovereto is a city and comune in Trentino in northern Italy, located in the Vallagarina valley of the Adige River.-History:Rovereto was an ancient fortress town standing at the frontier between the bishopric of Trento - an independent state until 1797 - and the republic of Venice, and later...
, Italy (Museo Storico Italiano della Guerra), the second M. 11 is displayed in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's Military Museum
Military Museum (Belgrade)
The Military Museum in Belgrade was founded in 1878. The museum has over 3000 ancient and modern items. These include Roman swords and helmets, Greek helmets and daggers, Serbian heavy knight's armor, axes, shields, helmets, crossbows, armoured gloves, as well as Western medieval weapons...
and a third M. 11 is 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....
, Romania along with the only surviving M. 16.
See also
- BL 12 inch HowitzerBL 12 inch HowitzerThe Ordnance BL 12 inch howitzer was a scaled-up version of the successful 9.2 inch siege howitzer.-History:Following the success of their BL 9.2 inch Howitzer, Vickers designed an almost identical version scaled up to a calibre of 12 inch, the Mk II entering service on the Western...
British equivalent - 305 mm howitzer M1915305 mm howitzer M1915305 mm howitzer M1915 was a Russian heavy howitzer.-See also:*List of siege artillery*BL 12 inch Howitzer British equivalent*Skoda 305 mm Model 1911 Austro-Hungarian equivalent...
Russian equivalent
External links
- http://www.moesslang.net/WW1%20Fortification%20History.htm
- http://www.landships.freeservers.com/305mm_morser_m11.htm
- http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=3664
- Heeres Independent Artillery Units of WW II on Panzerkeil
- "CURRENT FIELD ARTILLERY NOTES. The Austrian 30.5 Centimeter Field Mortar" in "THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL". VOLUME IV NUMBER 4. October-December 1914. THE UNITED STATES FIELD ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, D. C.
- Skoda mortar M11, M11/16, M16 (text and photos, Czech only)