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15 cm sFH 13

February 03, 2023

The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 (15 cm sFH 13), was a heavy field howitzer used by Germany in World War I and the beginning of World War II.

15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13
TypeHeavy field howitzer
Place of originGerman Empire
Service history
In service1913–1945
Used by
  • German Empire
  • Ottoman Empire
  • Belgium
  • Netherlands
  • Latvia
  • Nazi Germany
  • Romania
Wars
Production history
DesignerKrupp
Designed1913
ManufacturerKrupp, Rheinmetall, Spandau
Produced1913–1918
No. built3,409
Variantskurz sFH 13
lg. sFH13
lg. sFH13/02
Specifications
Mass2,250 kg (4,960 lbs)
Length2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
Barrel length2.096 m (6 ft 11 in) L/17
Shell149.1 x 112. 5 mmR[1] separate-loading, cased charge (7 charges)
Shell weight42 kilograms (93 lb) (HE)
Caliber149.1 mm (5.89 in)
Breechhorizontal sliding-block
Recoilhydro-spring variable recoil
Carriagebox trail
Elevation−4° to +45°
Traverse5°
Rate of fire3 rpm
Muzzle velocity377 m/s (1,240 ft/s)
Effective firing range8,900 m (9,700 yd)

History

The gun was a development of the previous standard howitzer, the 15 cm sFH 02. Improvements included a longer barrel resulting in better range and a gun shield to protect the crew. Variants were: the original "kurz" (L/14 – 14 calibre short barrel version), the lg. sFH13 with a longer barrel; with minor modifications to simplify wartime manufacture of the lg. sFH weapons. Initially there were serious issues of weak recoil spring mechanisms that would break, and gun barrel explosions. The problems were solved with the upgrades.[2] A sub variant of the sFH 13 was the lg. 15 cm sFH 13/02 which combined the long barrel with the carriage of the earlier sFH 02 when those guns became obsolete. The sFH 13/02 gun shield wasn't hinged at the top and it only used a hydro-spring recoil system. Approximately 1,000 conversions were completed and their performance was the same with only a 40 kg difference in weight.[3][4]

The British referred to these guns and their shells as "five point nines" or "five-nines" as the internal diameter of the barrel was 5.9 inches (150 mm). The ability of these guns to deliver mobile heavy firepower close to the frontline gave the Germans a major firepower advantage on the Western Front early in World War I, as the French and British lacked an equivalent.[citation needed] It was not until late 1915 that the British began to deploy their own 6 inch 26 cwt howitzer.

About 3,500 of these guns were produced from 1913 to 1918.[5] They continued to serve in the Reichswehr and then the Wehrmacht in the interwar period as the standard heavy howitzer until the introduction of 15 cm sFH 18 in the 1930s. They were then shifted to reserve and training units, as well as to coastal artillery. Guns turned over to Belgium and the Netherlands as reparations after World War I were taken into Wehrmacht service after the conquest of the Low Countries as the 15 cm sFH 409(b) and 15 cm sFH 406(h) respectively.[6]

Romania captured 12 pieces from the German Army during World War I, putting them into service during the interwar years and in reserve during World War II[7]

In the course of World War II about 94 of these howitzers were mounted on Lorraine 37L tractors to create self-propelled guns, designated 15 cm sFH13/1 (Sf) auf Geschuetzwagen Lorraine Schlepper (f).

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

In literature

Citations

  1. ^ "Archived copy". from the original on 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2020-12-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Kempf, Peter (2003-11-02). . Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  3. ^ Fleischer, Wolfgang (February 2015). German artillery:1914-1918. Barnsley. p. 29. ISBN 9781473823983. OCLC 893163385.
  4. ^ "Lovett Artillery - 15cm. lang schwere Feldhaubitze 1913/02". www.lovettartillery.com. from the original on 2018-11-10. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  5. ^ Roger Lee, The Battle of Fromelles 1916 (Australian Army Campaign Series), Big Sky Publishing 2012
  6. ^ Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Heavy artillery. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco. p. 23. ISBN 0668038985. OCLC 2143869.
  7. ^ Stroea, Adrian; Băjenaru, Gheorghe (2010). Artileria româna în date si imagini [Romanian artillery in data and images] (in Romanian). Editura Centrului Tehnic-Editorial al Armatei. p. 79. ISBN 978-606-524-080-3.
  8. ^ Graves, Robert (1929). Goodbye to All That (1960 ed.). London: Penguin. p. 130.
  9. ^ . Archived from the original on 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2015-01-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Sources

  • Engelmann, 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
  • Ralph Lovett, 15 cm. schwere Feld Haubitze 1913
  • Ralph Lovett, 15 cm. lang schwere Feldhaubitze 1913/02
  • Ralph Lovett, Development of German Heavy Artillery

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 15 cm sFH 13.
  • List and pictures of WW1 surviving 15 cm sFH 13 and 15 cm sFH 13 lang howitzers

February 03, 2023
schwere, feldhaubitze, heavy, field, howitzer, used, germany, world, beginning, world, schwere, feldhaubitze, 13typeheavy, field, howitzerplace, origingerman, empireservice, historyin, service1913, 1945used, bygerman, empireottoman, empirebelgiumnetherlandslat. The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 15 cm sFH 13 was a heavy field howitzer used by Germany in World War I and the beginning of World War II 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13TypeHeavy field howitzerPlace of originGerman EmpireService historyIn service1913 1945Used byGerman EmpireOttoman EmpireBelgiumNetherlandsLatviaNazi GermanyRomaniaWarsWorld War IWorld War IIProduction historyDesignerKruppDesigned1913ManufacturerKrupp Rheinmetall SpandauProduced1913 1918No built3 409Variantskurz sFH 13lg sFH13lg sFH13 02SpecificationsMass2 250 kg 4 960 lbs Length2 54 m 8 ft 4 in Barrel length2 096 m 6 ft 11 in L 17Shell149 1 x 112 5 mmR 1 separate loading cased charge 7 charges Shell weight42 kilograms 93 lb HE Caliber149 1 mm 5 89 in Breechhorizontal sliding blockRecoilhydro spring variable recoilCarriagebox trailElevation 4 to 45 Traverse5 Rate of fire3 rpmMuzzle velocity377 m s 1 240 ft s Effective firing range8 900 m 9 700 yd Contents 1 History 2 See also 2 1 Weapons of comparable role performance and era 3 In literature 4 Citations 5 Sources 6 External linksHistory EditThe gun was a development of the previous standard howitzer the 15 cm sFH 02 Improvements included a longer barrel resulting in better range and a gun shield to protect the crew Variants were the original kurz L 14 14 calibre short barrel version the lg sFH13 with a longer barrel with minor modifications to simplify wartime manufacture of the lg sFH weapons Initially there were serious issues of weak recoil spring mechanisms that would break and gun barrel explosions The problems were solved with the upgrades 2 A sub variant of the sFH 13 was the lg 15 cm sFH 13 02 which combined the long barrel with the carriage of the earlier sFH 02 when those guns became obsolete The sFH 13 02 gun shield wasn t hinged at the top and it only used a hydro spring recoil system Approximately 1 000 conversions were completed and their performance was the same with only a 40 kg difference in weight 3 4 The British referred to these guns and their shells as five point nines or five nines as the internal diameter of the barrel was 5 9 inches 150 mm The ability of these guns to deliver mobile heavy firepower close to the frontline gave the Germans a major firepower advantage on the Western Front early in World War I as the French and British lacked an equivalent citation needed It was not until late 1915 that the British began to deploy their own 6 inch 26 cwt howitzer About 3 500 of these guns were produced from 1913 to 1918 5 They continued to serve in the Reichswehr and then the Wehrmacht in the interwar period as the standard heavy howitzer until the introduction of 15 cm sFH 18 in the 1930s They were then shifted to reserve and training units as well as to coastal artillery Guns turned over to Belgium and the Netherlands as reparations after World War I were taken into Wehrmacht service after the conquest of the Low Countries as the 15 cm sFH 409 b and 15 cm sFH 406 h respectively 6 Romania captured 12 pieces from the German Army during World War I putting them into service during the interwar years and in reserve during World War II 7 In the course of World War II about 94 of these howitzers were mounted on Lorraine 37L tractors to create self propelled guns designated 15 cm sFH13 1 Sf auf Geschuetzwagen Lorraine Schlepper f See also Edit15 cm sFH 02 German predecessorWeapons of comparable role performance and era Edit 6 inch 26 cwt howitzer British equivalent Canon de 155 C modele 1917 Schneider French equivalent Obice da 149 12 Italian version of the sFH13 produced under licenseIn literature EditSiegfried Sassoon expressed the British respect for the five nine in his World War I poem Counter Attack Timothy Findley mentions 5 9s in his book The Wars Wilfred Owen mentions being shelled by Five Nines in his poem Dulce et Decorum est Robert Graves in Good Bye to All That says five nines were called Jack Johnsons because of their black smoke 8 in reference to the boxer Jack John Arthur Johnson 1878 1946 the first black American world heavyweight champion 1908 1915 9 Citations Edit Archived copy Archived from the original on 2022 09 13 Retrieved 2020 12 01 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Kempf Peter 2003 11 02 Kit Review Schneider 155mm Howitzer m 10 Archived from the original on 2012 02 18 Retrieved 2012 03 06 Fleischer Wolfgang February 2015 German artillery 1914 1918 Barnsley p 29 ISBN 9781473823983 OCLC 893163385 Lovett Artillery 15cm lang schwere Feldhaubitze 1913 02 www lovettartillery com Archived from the original on 2018 11 10 Retrieved 2018 11 10 Roger Lee The Battle of Fromelles 1916 Australian Army Campaign Series Big Sky Publishing 2012 Chamberlain Peter 1975 Heavy artillery Gander Terry New York Arco p 23 ISBN 0668038985 OCLC 2143869 Stroea Adrian Băjenaru Gheorghe 2010 Artileria romana in date si imagini Romanian artillery in data and images in Romanian Editura Centrului Tehnic Editorial al Armatei p 79 ISBN 978 606 524 080 3 Graves Robert 1929 Goodbye to All That 1960 ed London Penguin p 130 Archived copy Archived from the original on 2014 12 21 Retrieved 2015 01 02 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Sources EditEngelmann Joachim and Scheibert Horst Deutsche Artillerie 1934 1945 Eine Dokumentation in Text Skizzen und Bildern Ausrustung Gliederung Ausbildung Fuhrung 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 Ralph Lovett 15 cm schwere Feld Haubitze 1913 Ralph Lovett 15 cm lang schwere Feldhaubitze 1913 02 Ralph Lovett Development of German Heavy ArtilleryExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 15 cm sFH 13 List and pictures of WW1 surviving 15 cm sFH 13 and 15 cm sFH 13 lang howitzers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 15 cm sFH 13 amp oldid 1115146672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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