french railway gun

[Manuferey]

Here are several pictures of ex-French railway guns at Wildflecken, Germany. Wildflecken was the location of a German ammunition dump.

1) A captured 27,4 cm K(E) 592(f) (ex-274 mm Mle 1917) in 1945:


http://www.campwildflecken.heinzleitsch ... nglish.htm


2) Three guns are visible on this picture dated September 1945. The barrel in the foreground belongs to a 320 mm Mle 70-84 or the modernized version Mle 70-93:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/9131426@N0 ... otostream/


3) Here is the picture of the breech of the first gun also from September 1945. We can actually read the markings “1870-84” as well as “1889” (date of manufacture?), thus, making it a Mle 70-84.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/9131426@N0 ... otostream/

4) I think this is a picture of the 2nd gun on the first picture with the cable around the barrel. It is a 320 mm Mle 1870-93 or the modernized version Mle 70-30. Again September 1945.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/9131426@N0 ... otostream/


5) On the first picture, we can actually see daylight through the barrel of the 2nd gun. Here is the explanation (ding dong, the breach is gone ):


http://www.flickr.com/photos/9131426@N0 ... d%20gun%22


6) This could be the 3rd gun of the 1st picture. It is of the same type as the 2nd gun i.e. 320 mm Mle 70-93 or 7030. The picture is dated October 1945:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/9131426@N0 ... otostream/

Emmanuel

[ALVF]

Hello,

Thank you, Emmanuel, for these interesting pictures.
For the N° 3 photograph:
I read "R 1889 n° 11", that means this gun was made in "Fonderie de Ruelle" (the "R") in year 1889 and this gun was the 11d gun of 32 cm modèle 1870-84 made in this year.
The 32 cm modèle 1870-84 R 1889 n° 11 was a former coast gun.
It is mounted on Schneider "affût à glissement" (sliding mount) in 1916, the mounting had the nummer "P 3028".
It is first in "2ème Groupe de 32" and in 1917 it is in the 1ère batterie du 77e R.A.L.G.P (Régiment d'Artilerie Lourde à Grande Puissance).
It is in numerous Great War battles, the first on the Somme the 1th July 1916.
In 1930, it is trandformed in "32 cm modèle 70-30" (enlarged chamber).
In 1939 it is in the 7ème batterie du 373ème R.A.L.V.F (Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde sur Voie Ferrée).
The 12 Juni 1940, this battery retreated from southern Alsace in Dôle, Lyon, Nîmes and Bayonne under some aircraft bombing but the guns and men were safe near Biarritz at the 25th Juni 1940 (the Armistice).The germans "captured" the guns the 27th Juni 1940, two days after the Armistice.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

[EPOCH3]

Hello, here is a picture snippet of another 320mm barrel (R1899 ). Do you know
what the significance is of the number "48500" on the inner cylinder (which I believe is
referred to as the Virole de Culasse)?
Best Regards

[vladalex]

Hello,
I think that 48300 represent max. recoil shock of the gun, meaning 48300 kgf (in old system MKS).
Regards,
VladAlex.

[ALVF]

Hello,

The last number "48500" is the weight of the tube of the gun in "kilogrammes".
The usual weight of the 32 cm modèle 1870-93 is given for 48.450 kg (+or - 50 kg).
The gun R 1899 N°... is a 32 cm modèle 1870-93.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

[EPOCH3]

merci beaucoup

[vladalex]

Hello,
Thank's for information.
But , any information about recoil shock force is avaiable ?
Thank in advance.
Regards,
VladAlex

[Manuferey]

In 1930, it is transformed in "32 cm modèle 70-30" (enlarged chamber).
Guy François.

Thank you very much for all the details on the gun on picture # 3, Guy.

I note that the model name was not changed somehow on the breach. Interesting.

Emmanuel

[ALVF]

Hello,

-Emmanuel, in general the model name is always preserved on the breech and an other name is added only if the caliber is changed.The "chambre agrandie" tubes for railway guns or 155 GPF guns (and others guns) had no name ajouted.
For instance 370 mm Mle 1915 (old 305 mm Navy gun) had the original name on the breech and also the new name with the designation "Té R 1916 N°...".
The letters "Té" or Tfé" means "Transformé".
-Vladalex, the recoil shock force is only writed in technical manuals of the guns.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

[Manuferey]

Thank you very much, Guy.

Emmanuel

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Two small images from EBay. 400mm St. Chamond Mle 1915-16 rail howitzer but I am not sure if in french or in German service.

Sturm78

[na4222]

I'm guessing German service as the GIs took the pictures in (what I beleive to be) a german railway yard. There are photos of heavy german flak on railcars in the same series.

Best,

Nezar

[EPOCH3]

Carriage and barrel numbers for FR 400mm used by Germans.
Not sure if this is complete however.
Regards

[Manuferey]

Hi all,
Two small images from EBay. 400mm St. Chamond Mle 1915-16 rail howitzer but I am not sure if in french or in German service.
Sturm78

There is a name written on the barrel but it is very hard to read.

Carriage and barrel numbers for FR 400mm used by Germans.
Not sure if this is complete however.
Regards

Interesting. Thanks EPOCH3. According to Guy Francois in "Eisenbahnartillerie", the Germans used eight of these guns. Your document shows all eight of them, so it would be cmplete.

Emmanuel

[ALVF]

Hello,

French Army had in 1940 (as well as in 1918) 12 "obusiers de 400 mm".
They were two typs:
-8 "obusiers de 400 mm modèle 1915" were former 340 mm modèle 1887 rebored to 400 mm (navy guns taken from decommissioned battle ship "Brennus" and armored coast battleships "Valmy"and "Jemmapes").Their Saint-Chamond mountings had the nummers AT 5013 to AT 5020 (P 5013 to P 5020 during the Great War).
-4 "obusiers de 400 mm modèle 1916" were built with parts of new navy guns 340 mm modèle 1912, forging tubes and new breechs, tubes rebored to 400 mm.They had the nummers AT 3093 to AT 3096 (P 3093 to P 3096 during the Great War).
In 1918, "four obusiers de 400 mm" were leased to A.E.F (2 models 1915 and 2 models 1916) and returned in french Army in november 1918.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.