8 cm kanon vz. 30

Infobox Weapon
name=8 cm kanon vz. 30


caption=
origin=Czechoslovakia
type=field gun
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=yes
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1930-1945
used_by=flag|Czechoslovakia
flag|Nazi Germany
wars=World War II
designer=Skoda
design_date=1928-1930
manufacturer=Skoda
production_date=
number=
variants=
weight=convert|1816|kg|lb
length=
part_length=convert|3.06|m|ft L/40
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=
caliber=76.5 mm (3 in)
action=
rate=10-12 rpm
velocity=600 m/s (1,968 ft/s)
range=
max_range=convert|13500|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=box trail
elevation=-8° to +80°
traverse=8°
blade_type=
hilt_type=
sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
armour=
primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
engine_power=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
vehicle_range=
speed=

The 8 cm kanon vz. 30 (Cannon model 30) was a Czech field gun used in the Second World War. Guns captured after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 were taken into Wehrmacht service as the 8 cm FK 30(t). It was used by a variety of German units during World War II, including I./SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 3 between 1939 and 1940 [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 2/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (10 May 1940)", 1990] .

Design & History

It was modified from an earlier Skoda design, the 7.5 cm kanon vz. 28, that attempted to combine the field, mountain and anti-aircraft roles into one weapon. It proved to be fairly successful at the first two, but was a failure at the the third. The Czechs decided to adopt it to replace their plethora of aged Austro-Hungarian field guns. They deleted the firing platform of the original design and modified it to use standard Czech ammunition. It shared the same carriage that could break down into three pieces for transport as the 10 cm houfnice vz. 30.

References

* Englemann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. "Deutsche Artillerie 1934-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliderung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz". Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974
* Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. "Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945". New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3

External links

* [http://warandgame.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/skoda-765-mm-kanon-vz-30-and-100-mm-houfnice-vz-30/ page on the two Czech vz. 30 weapons]

Notes