Chinese coastal batteries

[forttravel]

Fortress guns in Liugong Island, Weihai, Shandong Province. The remains of an Armstrong disappearing gun and a Krupp 28cm. Photos taken by myself.

I suppose these disappear mount guns were placed in small Ridao island south from Liugong island. Aerial picture from maps google shows two shaft/well emplacements for these guns.

[YC Chen]

Hello,

Recently I made a few trip to the coastal batteries of Laohu Shan(Tiger Hill), a small hill on the brim of the city of Nanjing and lies along Yangtze River. According to a map made in 1914, there were 4 gun pits in this fort and I have found 3 of them; what's more, the underground structure(ammunition store, etc.) is in quite good condition.

However I have found that one of the gun pits has a very strange inward(concave) curve just beside the entrance of its underground structure(see the photos). On the 1914 map, it seems that the curve originally housed a certain cylindrical object that I'm unable to identify.

Does anyone have clues what these cylindrical object was? Any foreign batteries contain the similar feature?

This must be one of the most interesting surviving forts along the Yangtze but now it lies uncared of in the forest surrounded by graveyards.

[forttravel]

It could be a niche (open post) for short distance observation (used binocular).

[YC Chen]

Hmm...this is a plausible explanation, thank you.

[YC Chen]

Hello,

Can anyone identify the gun on the West Battery, Yantai? It seems to be of British manufacture and looks similar to the early "hooped guns" made in 1850s or 60s. Unfortunately the marks on the trunnion is too worn to be read.

Photos from http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_66afa04701015em8.html

[forttravel]

Hi YC Chen,
trunnion manufacturer mark is LOW MOOR Ironworks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Moor_Ironworks
Attached picture is from this webpage: http://artilleryhistory.org/artillery_r ... _guns.html
Any gun description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/68-pounder_gun

[YC Chen]

Sorry for my late reply - thanks a lot for these information!!

[forttravel]

That is also a large Krupp barrel in the museum, perhaps 24cm or 28cm.

I found an official record tells it is 24 cm barrel in museum.

[forttravel]

guns looks like sowjet MU-2 152 mm guns with full armed turrets.

It is quite rare MU-1 180 mm L/57 gun.

[forttravel]

This is a set of pictures shows gun (Krupp?) casamatte build onto old emplacement in Wusong area, Hainan province.

[forttravel]

Pictures above are from Haikou Xiuying Fort armed for sure with Krupp gun. Here two more pictures from capture by Japanese soldiers.

[YC Chen]

The Xiuying forts today is very nicely preserved(except for the guns, unfortunately...), good site to visit for anyone going to Hainan.

[forttravel]

I am not sure description from this page: http://www.bytravel.cn/Landscape/39/zhenyuanpaotai.html
Is it real barrel preserved in Xiuying unlike to poor copies used in exhibition?
One more picture with other gun here with Japanesse guard.

[YC Chen]

Hello,

The 24cm Krupp barrel in your photos is on the Nanshanding Battery in Humen. The link you posted describes Zhenyuan Battery in Ningbo, but used a wrong photo.

The guns on Xiuying Battery today are unfortunately all replicas, but the battery itself is quite well preserved.

[forttravel]

So Xiuying Battery was equiped with Krupp guns in caliber about cm XXX? 4 guns in casamates and one older gun in open emplacement?