10 cm houfnice vz. 30

Infobox Weapon
name=10 cm houfnice vz. 30


caption=
origin=Czechoslovakia
type=howitzer
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=yes
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1930-1945
used_by=flag|Czechoslovakia
flag|Nazi Germany
flag|Romania
flag|Slovakia
wars=World War II
designer=Skoda
design_date=1928-1930
manufacturer=Skoda
production_date=1932-39
number=
variants=
weight=convert|1766|kg|lb
length=
part_length=convert|2.5|m|ft L/25
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=
caliber=100 mm (3.94 in)
action=
rate=6-8 rpm
velocity=430 m/s (1,411 ft/s)
range=
max_range=convert|10600|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=split 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 10 cm houfnice vz. 30 (Howitzer model 30) was a Czech howitzer used in the Second World War. The 158 weapons captured after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 were taken into Wehrmacht service as the 10 cm leFH 30(t). It was used by a variety of German units during World War II, including II. and III./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] and SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 51 during 1941 [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 3/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (22nd June 1941)", 1992] . 30 served with the Slovak Army [Kliment and Nakládal, p. 122] .

Design & History

It was modified from an earlier Skoda design, the 10 cm houfnice vz. 28, that attempted to combine the field and mountain gun roles into one weapon. The Czechs decided to adopt it to replace their plethora of aged Austro-Hungarian field guns. They replaced the wheels with modern rubber-tired wheels, but curiously chose to retain the crewman's seat on the gunshield. It used the same carriage that could break down into three pieces for transport as the 8 cm kanon vz. 30. It fired a convert|16|kg|lb shell.

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

* Kliment, Charles K. and Nakládal, Bretislav. "Germany's First Ally: Armed Forces of the Slovak State 1939-1945". Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1997 ISBN 0-7643-0589-1

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