15cm sFH 13 (15cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13)

History of 15cm sFH 13 (15cm Heavy Field Howitzer 13)

The sFH 13 series of heavy field howitzers originated in Germany and served during World War I and even World War II. The system was primarily used by the German army during World War I (then the flag of the German Reich was flown) and survived decades later to serve with Hitler's army.

Other operators are the Ottoman Empire (dissolved after World War I), Belgium and the Netherlands. The design of the system began in 1913 at the Krupp company in Germany, the arms saw service from 1914 to 1945, and the manufacture was jointly managed by Krupp, Rheinmetall and Spandau.

A total of 3,409 examples are believed to have been made. The sFH was eventually deployed in two different forms - a short L/14 ("short") barrel (sFH 13) and a long L/17 barrel (lg. sFH 13). Further specification of lg. sFH 13/02 is used to indicate a simplified version for mass production.

The initial production version of the sFH 13 suffered from a fragile recoil system that tended to rupture due to the inherent violence during firing due to a weak internal spring system. A revision based on the compressed air system appeared, which added some weight but had little effect on the required operation. In practice, the sFH 13 was initially vulnerable to an exploding barrel early in its lifespan, which could kill the crew in the process.

This resulted in the series being equipped with longer barrels as well as some internal modifications.

After modifications, the sFH 13 continued to prove to be an important asset in German operations, especially in 1914, when their main opponents - Britain and France - had little opposition to the powerful artillery. These weapon systems are towed on site by any means available (pack animals, cars, tractors, etc.) and are operated with the professionalism of trained rifle teams. The typical design is a multi-spoke metal wheel that spans the gun frame. The wheels were attached to a trailer classified as a "Box Trail".

The gun mount contained the large-caliber main armament and a thin metal shield for relative protection of the crew. Weighing 4,960 pounds, the barrel length is 8.3 feet, and the L/17 series barrel is 6.9 feet.

The projectiles fired consist of a shell and charge, each weighing 93 pounds, of the high-explosive (HE) type for maximum impact. The weapon is operated by a horizontally sliding breech block, and the recoil is controlled by a variable hydraulic spring system. Main gun elevation is limited to +45 to -4 degrees (up and down) and 9 degrees lateral (left and right). A trained crew can fire three rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is estimated at 1,250 feet. Effective range is 9,400 yards.

Before all is said and done, it's not uncommon for reports of around 25,000 rounds to be fired.

Both Belgium and the Netherlands received sFH 13 from the former German Empire as part of the post-WWI reparations. When Germany conquered Belgium and the Netherlands in the early days of World War II, the German Army returned its old sFH 13 guns to Bundeswehr service, designated sFH 409(b) and sFH 406(h).

Although the sFH 13 was useful early on, it had a short lifespan during World War II and was eventually replaced by newer and more powerful products.

Despite the obvious firepower and reliability of the sFH 13 series, if there is one downside to the sFH 13 series it is their limited range. Still, she remains highly mobile and can fire a lethal dose of artillery to even the deepest digging enemy forces.

The generals of the German Empire certainly considered the sFH 13 series to be one of their most important parts in the First World War.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on the ammo carrier. Only high-explosive shells.

Changes