15cm K18 questions

[SASH155]

Does anyone know where the photos posted by Manufrey and Emmanuel of the 15cm K-18s with the trees and buildings in the background might have been taken? Also, does anyone know if the 15cm K-18 was used in North Africa or Tunisia? Lastly, there is an example of one of these weapons at Aberdeen; does anyone know by whom and where it was captured?

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found this nice image of a 15cm K18 heavy gun in fire position in field with ammunition. From the angle of the picture the gun looks smaller, and this gun seems to have lost a fender.

Image from Ebay
Regards Sturm78

[SASH155]

As to the ordnance of the 15cm SK C/28 in Mörser Lafette and how to distinguish it from that of the 17cm K-18, notice that the 15cm SK C/28 barrel seems to have a distinct taper at the interface (the "step" in the barrel) between the outer jacket and "B" tube about mid way along the barrel, whereas that of the 17cm gun is more or less straight. You have to look closely, but you should see it in the first photo in particular (the taper is double in fact, both a slight one at the end of the outer jacket and for the first appr. 20 or so centimeters of the "B" tube. The ordnance is slightly more slender as well from the "step" to the muzzle. It is unclear from the photos whether these guns had the muzzle brake of the original coastal defense gun, but it is unlikely that they had or even needed them given the mount used.

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your information, SASH155.
Although it is difficult to see the difference if the photo is of poor quality

Regards Sturm78

[SASH155]

The last photo of the 15cm K-18 is worthy of publication in a serious book on artillery. Note the distinguishing features of the 15cm K-18: the long rectangular breech ring with beveled edges (as opposed to the almost completely square breech rings of the 10cm sK-18 , 15cm sFH-18, 17cm K-18 in Mrs. Lafette, 21cm Mrs. 18 etc...), including the bevel of the rear underneath surface of the breech ring, the form and design of the equilibrators, the fenders over the pressed steel spoked wheels (which are missing from this example), the box trail with platforms for the gunners, the long barrel with the two almost invisible reinforcing rings just behind the muzzle (look at some of the other photos to try to make out these features). All in all a great looking gun. However, does anyone have any answers to my original questions as to the use or not of this gun by either Rommel's Afrika Korps or von Arnim's 5th Panzer Armée? Also where how and from whom did Aberdeen Proving Ground get their example, which is currently rusting away to junk in front of their museum in Maryland? We should put together a fund to save that equipment before it's too late.

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Another photo of 15cm K18 heavy gun from Ebay. In this case the gun is being transported in a single load by a halftrack in Russia. Nearly 14 tons!!

Regards Sturm78

[SASH155]

This would have been somewhat easier to do with this gun if Rheinmetall had originally designed the ordnance to be drawn back and locked over the trail like the Soviet 122mm A-19 Corps Gun or its cousin the 152mm ML-20 gun-howitzer, instead of the more awkward and inconvenient method of having to be broken down into two pieces.

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found these photos on Ebay. The pictures are very small but...... I am slowly assembling a interesting collection of photos of this weapon

Regards Sturm78

[jopaerya]

Here some picture's of the 15 cm Kanone 18 , when placed in firingposition .
Please see that the large "crowbares" also used to place the gun on the platform
and in a later stadium to unhook the smaller transport wheels .

Photo's = Ebay.usa

Regards Jos

[Sturm78]

Hi Jopaerya. Very nice images!!!

Regards Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Another image of this gun from Ebay. Fenders missing

Regards Sturm78

[SASH155]

The photo (15 cm K 18 mooi 2a.jpg (79.73 KiB) with the towing vehicle from Jopaerya seems to indicate that the Germans could and did tow this gun in one load by drawing the barrel back over the trail, rather than the more common method of towing it in two loads (barrel and carriage).

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

A photoseries of a 15cm K18 gun in action in Eastern Front (from Ebay): Part 1

Regards Sturm78

[Sturm78]

....Part 2.

In travel position in two loads:

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

A image from Ebay. A pity that the soldiers are hiding the gun.

Regards Sturm78