24 cm Kanone 3

Infobox Weapon
name=24 cm Kanone 3


caption=
origin=Germany
type=heavy siege gun
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1939-1945
used_by=flag|Nazi Germany
wars=World War II
designer=Rheinmetall
design_date=1935-1938
manufacturer=Krupp
production_date=1938-1944
number=14+
variants=
weight=convert|54866|kg|lb
length=
part_length=convert|13.102|m|in
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=convert|151.4|kg|lb
caliber=240 mm
action=
rate=1 rd per 4-5 min
velocity=970 m/s (3,182 ft/s)
range=
max_range=convert|37500|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=horizontal sliding block
recoil=dual-recoil hydropneumatic
carriage=box trail
elevation=0° to +56°
traverse=6° on carriage
360° on platform
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 24 cm Kanone 3 (24 cm K 3) was a German heavy siege gun used in the Second World War only by the first battalion of Artillerie-Regiment 84. Only four were in service when Germany invaded Poland, assigned to the first two batteries of I./AR 84 [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 1/III: Higher Headquarters - GHQ Units - Static Units (1.09.1939)", 2004, p. 39] . In the Battle of France the battalion still only had 4 guns [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 2/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (10 May 1940)", 1990, p. 28] . By Operation Barbarossa all three batteries were equipped with two guns apiece [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 3/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (22nd June 1941)", 1992, p. 27] . And this situation didn't change for the next two years [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 4/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (28th June 1942)", 2004, p. 25 and "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 5/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (4 July 1943)", 2005, p. 44] .

Design & History

While the K 3's gun design was itself nothing innovative, the same cannot be said for the carriage. Rheinmetall placed a lot of emphasis on ease of assembly. It didn't require a crane because it used electric winches, mounted on the carriage itself, to pull various parts through an ingenious system of inclined ramps, guide rails and runways. It also used the Rheinmetall's dual-recoil system, first seen on the 21 cm Mörser 18. The barrel recoiled normally in its cradle, but, in addition, the whole top carriage, which carried the barrel and its cradle, recoiled across the main part of the carriage. This system damped out the recoil forces and made for a very steady firing platform.

The K 3 was a gigantic weapon that was transported in six loads, as was necessary for such large weapons. These consisted of the firing platform, the carriage, the cradle, the barrel, the breech and an electric generator.

The Wehrmacht was not content with the gun's performance: "It was felt to be wasteful of time and manpower, the transport arrangements were cumbersome and the performance was not considered to be commensurate with the size of weapon." [Hogg, p. 104] These led to a number of experiments by Krupp and Rheinmetall to extend the range. These included "pre-grooved" projectiles which showed no significant improvement, squeeze-bore, discarding sabot and even a smoothbore version. None of these reached beyond the experimental stage.

References

*Englemann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. "Deutsche Artillerie 1934–1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliederung, 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
* Hogg, Ian V. "German Artillery of World War Two". 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X
* [http://sturmvogel.orbat.com/GermWeapProd.html Weapon Production Totals on Sinews of War]

Notes