Info needed on German Artillery Piece

[GI Tom]

Hello all,

I'm new around here and happy to have found what looks like a wonderful resource!

Let me go ahead and jump in with both feet. I have a question and would appreciate any help provided.

What is the best resource for finding information on the Germa 15cm FH18 Howitzer artillery piece? I am trying to compile enough information to provide specs to build a mockup for our re-enactment unit. Again, any help would be appreciated. I've searched around online with not much luck. I did find a book that may be worthwhile, but am not sure, it's Ian V. Hogg's "German Artillery of WWII". Any insight into this book by anyone?

I'm looking for any good websites, books, etc. Any information would be helpful really.

Thanks.

Tom

[Oberst Mihael]

This should go under the equipment section

[Daniel L]

Welcome Tom, I think Hogg's book might be a very good resource.

Here is a link to a good site:

http://salts.britwar.co.uk/mod.php?mod= ... 6b59e03957

best regards

[Erik E]

I have Hogg`s book, so just tell me what you need!

EE

[David Thompson]

Tom -- Here are some photos which may be helpful. This one is from Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Doubleday & Co., Garden City (NY): 1979, pp. 198-99

[David Thompson]

from Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Doubleday & Co., Garden City (NY): 1979, pp. 198-99

[David Thompson]

from Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Doubleday & Co., Garden City (NY): 1979, pp. 198-99

[David Thompson]

from Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Doubleday & Co., Garden City (NY): 1979, pp. 198-99

[David Thompson]

from Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Doubleday & Co., Garden City (NY): 1979, pp. 198-99

[GI Tom]

Thanks for all the help so far! It is very much appreciated.

To Erik E, I could really use some more detailed specs on the weapon, such as effective distances of fire, etc. Also, I've found some with a gun shield and some without. It seems that most are without. I'm curious as to whether some with the gun shields are post war modifications or if they produced some actually with shields. I know alot of these particular pieces served in some European countries Armies well after the war into the 50's.

Also, thanks for those photos David!

Tom

[Erik E]

Well, Hogg says there were 2 versions: FH18 and FH18M (the M version has a muzzlebreak fitted)

Datas:
Calibre: 150mm/5.91 In.
Length of gun: 4495mm/176.97 In./14.75 ft
Length of bore:4125mm/162.40 In./13.53 ft
Rifling: 40 grooves, right-hand increasing twist, 1/36 to 1/18
Breech mechanism: Horizontal sliding block, percussion fired
Traverse: 64 Deg.
Elevation: -3 to +45 Deg.
Weight: 5512Kg/12154 lb

Performance:
Firing standard HE shell weighing 43.50 Kg

Charge1: Velocity 210Mps/689fps Range 4000M/4374yd
Charge2: Velocity 230Mps/755fps Range 4700M/5140yd
Charge3: Velocity 250Mps/820fps Range 5525M/6042yd
Charge4: Velocity 278Mps/912fps Range 6625M/7245yd
Charge5: Velocity 320Mps/1050fps Range 8200M/8968yd
Charge6: Velocity 375Mps/1230fps Range 9725M/10635yd

Charge7: Velocity 440Mps/1444fps Range 11400M/12467yd *
Charge8: Velocity 495Mps/1624fps Range 13250M/14490yd *

* Charge 7 and 8 were only used in emergencies when authorised by higher officers, as it nearly destroyed the gun when fired!

The FH18 was also the first gun to use rocket-assisted shells (1941)
These shells also used a massive charge (larger than 8) so it could only be fired from guns with Muzzlebreak

The book doesn`t mention any shiels........

The Italian army used the same gun during ww2, but called it Obice 149/28

After ww2:
The FH 18 was used by the Albanian, Bulgarian and Czechoslovakian armies.
In Czech service it was bored-out to 15.2Cm so it could use Soviet shells.
The muzzlebreak was improved and the gun got the designation VZ18/46

There are also 2-3 pages of information on the ammuniton, but it`s really a lot to type........ If you need it you may send me a PM

Regards
Erik E

[GI Tom]

Thanks Erik. The ammo info is unecessary, but I very much appreciate you taking the time to give me that info, it is most helpful.

Tom

[Jack Nisley]

Tom, I'm a new guy also. read through all the old posts. Not sure you got what you wanted, dimensions to build a replica sFH18 for re-enactment. You might want to check with US Army Field Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, OK or US Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen, MD. Their curators might have some plans or technical documentation.
http://sill-www.army.mil/museum
http://www.goordnance.apg.army.mil/odmuseum
If you want/need to go measure one, ther is one on display at Fort Sill.
Other possible locations would be:
Texas Military History Museum, Camp Mabry, Austin, TX
2nd Arm Div and 4th Inf Div Museum, Fort Hood, Tx
36th Inf Div Memorial Park, Brownwood, TX
45th Inf Div Museum and Thunderbird Military Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Final thought: There may be one of these sitting in front of a VFW or American Legion post there in TX. Maybe you could persude them to let you borrow it on the weekend!!!

[Xavier]

there is one for sale at

http://www.tanksforsale.co.uk

search the site under miscelaneous or artilery, post war muzzle brake added, but they were going to put it in the original configuration,....

Xavier

[Custermen]

May I jump in on this thread and ask for a photo of a German 105mm Howitzer? Not the American one.

I've read about the 105mm gun in books related to the US Airborne troops taking out the artillery at Normandy. I would like a photo of one that I could use on my website----so, need one that is public domain.
Any stats would be nice, too. Or history---why did they look similar to the US 105mm? Was it a copy?

Custermen