A better field gun for Germany (1894-1914)

[Hoplophile]

In 1894, Konrad Haussner, the inventor of the hydro-pneumatic on-carriage recoil mechanism that inspired the corresponding device on the famous French 75mm field gun (Model 1897), demonstrated his handiwork in front of the Artillery Testing Commission of the German Army. Unfortunately, the tests did not go well, and the German officers observing the event came to the conclusion that such mechanisms had no place on field guns. Thus, on the eve of the French adoption of a revolutionary field gun, the German authorities adopted a field gun with a rigid carriage, the FK 96.

By the time the Germans realized their mistake, the production run of the FK96 was nearly complete, and thus the German Army found itself with an artillery park that was simultaneously brand new and obsolete. Unwilling to spend the money needed to obtain an entirely new field gun, the German authorities ended up retrofitting a recoil mechanism on the FK 96, creating the FK 96 neuer Art. While ten years younger than its French counterpart, this modified weapon was inferior in nearly all respects.

Now for the counterfactual ...

What if Haussner's demonstration had gone well, leading the relevant German authorities to conclude that he hydro-pneumatic on-carriage recoil mechanisms were the way to go. What sort of weapon might result? What would be the impact of its debut on French policy with regard to field artillery?

[nuyt]

Initially Haussner worked with Gruson, then, after the weapon's first rejection, with Ehrhardt/Rheinische.
There were the following weapons in the late 1890s:
- Haussner-Ehrhardt 1896
- 7,5cm Feldkanone L28 1898
- 3 inch Feldkanone 1900
- 7,5cm L/30 field gun 1900 with sliding wedge breechblock
and many more after that
Of course the 3 inch aka 15pdr was made for Britain, that employed it in Africa against Boer Krupp guns.
So depending how quick the Imperial Army picked the Haussner guns, it would be one of the above. If chosen early, there would not be a patent available for Schneider, nor would the Brits fire 15pdrs on gatvol Boer Commandos.

But in the end everybody would try to copy the Haussner principle and the french would get there as well, considering the innovation that was under way in that country.

[Carl Schwamberger]

Would take a overdose of foresight, but they'd been better off adopting the 10.5cm howitzers for all the division artillery.

[nuyt]

Well, development of the two went hand in hand in OTL, so the 10,5cm 98 in this scenario should be QF

[Carl Schwamberger]

Off to study the development of the FH16

[nuyt]

There is another way to look at this what if.

Before adopting the 7,7 cm field gun, the Germans relied on the 9 cm C73, updated in 1991 (introducing a nickel steel barrel). The bore was actually 88 mm. What if the Germans had stuck to it and modernized this weapon and came up with a 9 cm Kanone 98 with the Haussner system and a new breechblock?

The 9 cm or 88mm cal would have become the norm in many countries as well. Not strange, because in 1918 the Germans were testing a 9 cm field gun, to be followed by Schneider (85 mm and Bofors (Krupp) 90mm in the 1920s. This field gun calibre was later perfected by the Brits in the 30s with their 25 pdr gun howitzer.

As a matter of fact, the Germans did use the 9cm C73 by the hundreds until 1918, modified as an AA gun, though without a recoil system.

[Carl Schwamberger]

This is not unlike the 4.7" gun the US Army fielded in various iterations like the M1906. Or the 4.7" Howitzer M1913. Post 1918 the US Army went a different route, drawing off French and German designs such as the FH 16, & the GPF 155mm cannon, or the 155mm Schnider howitzer. But, the M1906 gun & M1913 howitzer was as useful as any in the era, so I don't see any reason why the Germans might not have continued with the 9cm gun or howitzer.

But, in modern terms software or doctrine is more important than hardware. I suspect fielding either would have reflected a change in doctrine for the German artillery. The aggresive high risk tactics that were combined with the light 77mm gun may not have been discarded had the larger caliber and heavier gun or howitzer been chosen.