#18
Post
by The Edge » 08 Oct 2006, 21:15
Well, from the start I thought it was some WWI-gun. Because most of Turkish long guns and field howitzers were of German origin, I naturally assumed it is caliber 105mm.
However, it turned to be an Interwar model, Skoda vzor 16/19 mountain howitzer – model ordered by Turkey between 1925 and 1928! That makes no sense, because Turkey was neutral in WWII, so no piece of its armament can be “captured”, “left”, etc. (There are TWO such guns, to complicate matter additionally).
Only possible explanation I came to is based on well-known story about Turkish cash problems regarding purchase of Bofors pack guns in late 1920s – maybe this situation was not an unique one? Maybe Turks purchased vz. 14/19 field howitzers (delivered – Tosun put the photo of it), ordered vz. 16/19 as well, but than funds run out, so guns stayed at Skoda’s plant after the deal is cancelled? In this case Czech Army could eventually pick them for their own use; later, taken by Germans, it could easily end up on the Balkan.
Caliber issue - Turkey ordered Skoda 100mm howitzer first time in 1914 - before WWI broke out (and before Austrians did the same). However, 105mm variants exists - Czech Army also used them as well (for example, Greek vz.16/19s were 105mm). Turks also have vz. 14/19 in 100mm, so its hard to beleve they went for other caliber for vz. 16/19 model.
Newer saw M.16(T) also - but ih has shorter (WWI lenght) barrel, so not "my" gun.
Regards, Edge
