K5 Railway Artillery Gun

[Andrzej Ditrich]

On photos form Netherlands: 2 K5 are self-destroyed and one not.
I see 3 K5 in total.

2x K5 from 713 and 1x K5 from 710

- 2.9.1944 - Verlegung der Fernkampfgruppe unter dem Eisb.Art.Abt. Stab 702 über den Raum Brügge-Gent/AOK15 in die deutsche Weststellung zur Verfügung Chef H Rüst u B.d.E.
- 4.9.1944 - Befehl : Batterie 710 sprengen, 713 und 701 zurück nach Dünkirchen
- 5.9.1944 - Sprengung der Geschütze (1x K12 und 3x K5) und der Munition (von 701: 96 Schuß, von 710: 138 Schuß und 713: 24 Schuß) in Sluiskil
- 8.9.1944 - zwischen den Bahnhöfen Philippine und Sluiskil werden die Hauptteile der Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilung 702 und der Batterien 701, 710 und 713 durch die Korps-Nachrichten-Abteilung 489 abgestellt aufgefunden, das Gerät wurde nicht ordnungsgemäß gesprengt, erst am 12.9.1944 wird die Sprengung durch eine Landes-Pionier-Kompanie erledigt, es wird ein Kriegsgerichtsverfahren gegen 4 verantworliche Offiziere eingeleitet:
Hauptmann Fuchs - Abteilungs-Führer: 6 Monate Gefängnis
Oberleutnant Beyer - Batterieoffizier in der Batterie 701: 4 Monate Gefängnis
Leutnant Cordes - Batterieoffizier in der Batterie 710: 4 Monate Gefängnis
Oberleutnant Staehr - Offizier im V.0.-Zug der Abteilung 702: 4 Monate Gefängnis

Uwe

Thank You Uwe - this is very detailed information

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Three small images from EBay.
I have a question about this gun. The 28cm K5 (E) seems to have a generator unit on the rear boggie according to the two vertical exhausts, as you can see in these images.
Does somebody know the exact purpose of this generator and his specifications.

Was it used to move the gun on short trips or to supply energy to the mechanisms of elevation and traverse or for the ammo crane ??

Thanks in advance. Sturm78

[schwarzermai]

Hello Sturm,

i think:
- the ammo crane was moved by hand (see pic 2 the winch)
- to move the canon dare a railcare was used

my tip about the generator - it was part of thermostated dare (in german: "Temperierwagen")

every "gun" have his own thermostated dare and on all pictures we only see the "gun" - but the gun itself is a barrel only and the barrel is constructed on the "Temperierwagen"

- so on the eastern front in winter we see also the "gun" but the barrel must be tempered

at temperatures below 0 degrees is the desired temperature +10 deg

Uwe

[Andrzej Ditrich]

Hi all,

Three small images from EBay.
I have a question about this gun. The 28cm K5 (E) seems to have a generator unit on the rear boggie according to the two vertical exhausts, as you can see in these images.
Does somebody know the exact purpose of this generator and his specifications.

Was it used to move the gun on short trips or to supply energy to the mechanisms of elevation and traverse or for the ammo crane ??

Thanks in advance. Sturm78

Fot me those photos look more like Eastern Front then Calais as they were captioned.

Below 2 drawings of Kraftzentrale

[Manuferey]

Fot me those photos look more like Eastern Front then Calais as they were captioned.

Andrzej,

The 3rd picture shows a Dombunker on the left so for at least this 3rd picture it has to be Calais area.

Emmanuel

[Heim62]

The 3rd picture shows a Dombunker on the left so for at least this 3rd picture it has to be Calais area.

Emmanuel

Hello Manu,
the doubt is possible. Your Dombunker could be a wagon from the train, and I've never seen pinewoods around Calais...

RV

[Andrzej Ditrich]

Fot me those photos look more like Eastern Front then Calais as they were captioned.

Andrzej,

The 3rd picture shows a Dombunker on the left so for at least this 3rd picture it has to be Calais area.

Emmanuel

Dear Manuferey - the 3rd phots shows wagon-probably ammo-waggon not Dombunker You can see that it has wheels and is placed above the ground - Dombunker couldn't have free space between ground and bunker floor
It looks like Eastern Front - Barrbarossa time.

[Leo Niehorster]

Hi,

Source:
   Gerhard Taube
   "Deutsche Eisenbahngeschütze"
   Motor Buch, Stuttgart, 1990
   ISBN 3-613-01352-5

On page 35
"Die elektrisch angetriebene Höhenrichtmaschine, gespeist von der Geschützeigenen Kraftzentrale ..."
Electrical powered elevation. The elecricity was supplied by the gun's own generator.

"Das Seitenschwenken erfolgte elektrisch oder auch von Hand."
Fine traverse could be manual or electric.

No mention of specifications of the generator.

On page 37
"...klimatisiertem Munitionswagern (Temperierwagen) ..."
So the "Temperierwagen" was an air-conditioned wagon for the ammunition.

Cheers
Leo

[schwarzermai]

Hello leo

thanks!

The barrel must be heated too, at temperatures below 0 degrees is the desired temperature for the barrel was +10 deg
(for K3, K5, K12, Karl, Siegfried)

all canons started from 21cm and all mortars and howitzers started from 24cm must be heated too - started at outside temperature -10 the barrels must be heated to +10

Uwe

[Leo Niehorster]

Hello again,

Still with
   Gerhard Taube
   "Deutsche Eisenbahngeschütze"
   Motor Buch, Stuttgart, 1990
   ISBN 3-613-01352-5

Page 37
The K5 was transported in two trains.
1 / Gun Train: consisting of a coal locomotive (Bauhreihe 50), gun, 1 a/c wagon, 2 shell wagons, 2 cartridge wagons, 1 diesel locomotive [1] (for moving the gun in its firing position), 1 fire direction wagon, 1 equipment and machine shop wagon, 1 antiaircraft wagon, 1 kitchen wagon.
2 / Turntable Train: consisting of a coal locomotive (Bauhreihe 50), 2 wagons with disassembled turntable and rail parts, 1 wagon each for crane, workshop, and antiaircraft guns, 7–9 wagons for transporting motor vehicles and spare parts, personnel transport wagons, and possibly additional ammunition wagons.

[1] Several of the photographs in the link indicated in Post # 52 show a small coal locomotive in front of the gun. So possibly, the Germans improvised and used this small locomotive instead of (or in addition to) the diesel one.

Page 48 (From the chapter dealing with the Siegfried Geschütz.)
Im Temperierwagen wurde je nach Bedarf entweder Heiz- oder Kühlluft erzeugt, um das Treibladungspulver in den Kartuschwagen auf eine bestimmte gleichmäßige Temperatur abzukühlen oder anzuwärmen. Zu deisem Zweck standen Temperiere- und Kartuschwagen zwei Luftschläuchen in Verbindung.
My translation: As needed, the a/c wagon could produce either warm or cold air. This warmed or cooled the powder in the cartridge wagons to the desired, constant temperature. For this purpose, the a/c wagon and cartridge wagons were connected by hoses.

Regrettably, Taube makes no mention of the necessary for warming the gun barrel, or a special wagon containing the corresponding apparatus. And, most unfortunately, Taube dedicates almost 3/4 of the ~180 pages in the book to Dora.

Cheers
Leo

[Sturm78]

Thank you, Leo.

A pity not to have the specifications of the generator.

Regards Sturm78

[Manuferey]

Fot me those photos look more like Eastern Front then Calais as they were captioned.

Andrzej,

The 3rd picture shows a Dombunker on the left so for at least this 3rd picture it has to be Calais area.

Emmanuel

Dear Manuferey - the 3rd phots shows wagon-probably ammo-waggon not Dombunker You can see that it has wheels and is placed above the ground - Dombunker couldn't have free space between ground and bunker floor
It looks like Eastern Front - Barrbarossa time.

You're right ! Got tricked by the doors and the fact that in the same auction series there is a K5 in a Dombunker.

Emmanuel

[kstdk]

Hello

A lot of K5 Railroad Gun pictures and dome bunker Calais here:

http://www.ebay.de/sch/m.html?item=3608 ... p=10&rt=nc

Have fun

Regards
Kurt
kstdk

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found these two images on EBay from a photoserie of 28cm K5 (E) gun:

I think a WR360C14 diesel loco for moving the gun in its firing position and a special railwagon. Any idea about the latter?
Ammo railwagon?

Sturm78

[kstdk]

Hello

I think the locomotive with the waggons with gravel is for Building the railroad.

The second one I do not know the use of?

Regards
Kurt
kstdk