15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15

Infobox Weapon
name=15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15


caption=
origin=Austria-Hungary
type=heavy howitzer
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1916-1945
used_by=flag|Austria-Hungary
flag|Austria
flag|Czechoslovakia
flag|Nazi Germany
flag|Finland
wars=World War I
World War II
designer=Skoda
design_date=1914-1916
manufacturer=Skoda
production_date=1916-1918
number=57
variants=
weight=convert|5560|kg|lb
length=
part_length=convert|2.99|m|ft L/20
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=separate-loading, cased charge
caliber=149.1 mm (5.87 in)
action=
rate=2 rpm
velocity=508 m/s (1,666 ft/s)
range=
max_range=convert|11500|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=horizontal sliding block
recoil=hydro-pneumatic
carriage=box trail
elevation=-5° to +65°
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 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze M. 15 was a heavy howitzer used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. Austrian and Czech guns were taken into Wehrmacht service after the Anschluss and the occupation of Czechoslovakia as the 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 15(t) or (ö).

The M. 15 was adapted from a fortress turret howitzer design to throw the same ammunition as the schwere Feldhaubitze M. 14 some convert|3.5|km|yd further. It didn't normally breakdown for transport, but could be disassembled into four loads for transport in mountainous areas.

The first five weapons were delivered in the first half of 1916. A total of 57 barrels and 56 carriages were completed by the end of the war [Ortner, p. 519] .

The Finns purchased twenty weapons after the end of the Winter War. They arrived on the SS Widor on 9 October 1940. They were initially issued to Heavy Artillery Battalions 21, 22 and 28. They were unpopular with the field artillery as they were thought to be too heavy and were withdrawn from field duty during the Continuation War. Some went to equip the Maaselkä Fortification Artillery Battalions [Jagerplatoon retrieved 12 August 2008] .

References

* 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
* Ortner, M. Christian. "The Austro-Hungarian Artillery From 1867 to 1918: Technology, Organization, and Tactics". Vienna, Verlag Militaria, 2007 ISBN 978-3-902526-13-7

External Links

* [http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/ARTILLERY6.htm Finnish howitzers on jaegerplatoon]

Notes