15 cm Kanone 18

15 cm Kanone 18

15 cm Kanone 18 at a Military museum in Belgrade
Type Heavy gun
Place of origin Germany
Service history
Used by  Nazi Germany
Wars World War II
Production history
Designer Rheinmetall
Designed 1933–38
Manufacturer Rheinmetall
Produced 1938–43
Number built 101
Specifications
Weight Combat: 12,460 kg
(27,469 lbs)
Travel: 18,600 kg
(41,006 lbs)
Length 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Barrel length 8.195 m (26 ft 11 in) L/55
Caliber 149.1 mm (5.87 in)
Breech horizontal block
Carriage box trail
Elevation -2°to +43°
Traverse 10° on wheels
360° on platform
Muzzle velocity 865 m/s (2,838 ft/s)
Maximum firing range 24,500 m (26,793 yds)

The 15 cm Kanone 18 (15 cm K 18) was a German heavy gun used in the Second World War.

Design and history

In 1933 Rheinmetall began development of a new artillery piece to fulfil a German Army requirement for a replacement of the aged 15 cm Kanone 16, with the first production units received in 1938. There was not much of an improvement over the older gun as it weighed two tons more than the K 16, but only had 2,290 metres (2,500 yd) more range. The army was happy with the range, but not with the carriage. There was a special transport carriage for just the gun when traveling long distances. Putting it on its turntable took even more time to assemble.

Around a hundred were built between 1939 and 1943. It was not popular in service as it was regarded as too much gun for too little shell. This caused its production to be terminated in August 1943. Many were used in coastal installations.

See Also

References

    * Engelmann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. Deutsche Artillerie 1934–1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliederung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz. Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974

    External links

    Media related to 15 cm Kanone 18 at Wikimedia Commons