Italian coast gun

[jopaerya]

Hello All

Does somebody know the type and caliber of this Italian coast gun ??

Photo - Ebay.de

Regards Jos

[Dili]

Interesting. It can only be a 203mm or a 305mm.

For 203 it could be the only two 203/53 Ansaldo Mod 1924 at Augusta, the other Armstrong were double turrets.

Then there are a big list of 305.
305/50 Armstrong Puzzuoli Elswick patern Q
305/46 Armstrong 1904 Elswick patern Q
305/46 Armstrong-Vickers 1909 Vickers G

There is also
305/42 Skoda(305/45 Skoda designation) but wern't operational at Taranto at armistice time and i have a note it wasn't armored.

[CJV32]

Jos,

It cannot be one of the Armstrong guns Dili mentioned as these had Welin breech blocks, while the photo is showing a horizontal sliding breech block. This seems to be one of the three 30,5 cm K10 Skoda guns, re-used by the Italians in Batteria Cattaneo near Taranto. I can agree with Dili's remarks on this gun, but there are striking similarities:
- The breech, like shown on the second photo on http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNAust_12-45.htm.
- The emplacement itself as shown on the photo.


The edge of the emplacement has an inverted wave shape. Barely visible on my picture are the remains of th screws that held the pillars for the ammunition trolley. The peculiar shape of the entrance to the secondary ammunition store at the background is well visible.

I can recommend a visit to this battery. The emplacements are quite impressive, and even though the battery has been abandoned it is still in a reasonable condition. I was surprised to find that the original generator, the alternator and the electrical switchboard still remain in place. The battery consists of three large emplacement, equipped with a large circular underground ammunition storage. The ammunition was supposed to be hoisted up with an elevator to the gun platform. All emplacements are connected to underground galleries that also give access to the engine room and the fire control post.

Best regards,


Caspar

[Dili]

We might have a winner, thanks Caspar for the link, it is striking the similarities. It would be interesting to know the time of when the jopaerya e-bay photo was taken.

[jopaerya]

Thanks Caspar

Good to hear you here on this Forum and thanks for the information on the gun and place .
Correct me whem I am wrong but these would also be the guns that would be build at
M.K.B. Suomi 4 x 30.5 cm (o)
M.K.B. Laerso 4 x 30.5 cm (o)
M.K.B. Batz 4 x 30.5 cm (o)

Regards Jos

@ Dili , the photo's are from a old Ebay action

[Dili]

I know, i was asking for the real date the photos were taken, since my notes say this Taranto battery were never put in operational status.

[Dili]

Cannone da 305/42 in a Italian pontoon (in Italian pontone semovente) This should be pontone GM 191 or GM 192

RG00026597.JPG (87.69 KiB) Viewed 1254 times

[Dili]

Source: http://senato.archivioluce.it/senato-lu ... sante.html

RG00026599.JPG (83.4 KiB) Viewed 1254 times

RG00026588.JPG (57.44 KiB) Viewed 1254 times

[jopaerya]

Hello Dili

Thank you very much , in your last post on the second picture , it's looks like smaller gun was fitted on the barrel .

Regards Jos

[ROLAND1369]

From the shape of the breech this is a re use of the 305 MM K10 guns most likely removed from the Austrian battleship "Tegetthof" which was ceeded to Italy post WW I and scrapped at La Spezia 1924-25. This same type of weapon was mounted at the uncompleted Italian Battery CATTANEO at Taranto and for the uncompleted German Battery Soumi. Interestingly the empty rings and fittings above the breech show that the original recoil system of the Austrian gun was not used in the pontoon but it appears that the original recoill system was adapted for the new tube. The small 76 mm gun mounted next to the 12 inch is an Excaliber weapon mounted for practice firing. Its purpose was to save wear on the main tube, reduce the cost of training, and to allow a much smaller portion to the firing range to be closed for firing practice as these guns firedon areas where busy shipping channels exhisted.

[Dili]

Hi Jos, Roland1369

Interesting. I didn't noticed what appears to be a 76/45 gun.

Roland precisely, i choose to put it here because it is the same gun as in Batteria Cattaneo photos above.