21cm Kanone Eisenbahnlafette (21cm K12(E))

History

Due to the establishment of railway infrastructure in Europe during the First World War (1914-1918), railway guns were valued during the war as a viable artillery measure. Such weapons allow very large-caliber projectiles to be fired at extremely long distances, wreaking havoc in a targeted areawhile also being a psychological tool against civilians. This weapon was embodied in the conflict by the "Paris Gun" used by the Germans from March 1918. The 256-ton gun had a barrel length of 111 feet 7 inches and a barrel diameter of 211 mm.

While it consumed a significant amount of important war material, manpower and time in its manufacture and operation, due to the ease with which this powerful German weapon could reach the French capital, it certainly forced the Parisian public to keep a close eye on the ground.

Despite its obvious usefulness, this weapon is not a perfect specimen. The firepower required by the system means that fewer than 50 projectiles can be fired from a single barrel - which is wear and tear on the action - as subsequent shots remove some of the barrel lining. This forces ammunition manufacturers to gradually increase the caliber of bullets, which is not a logistically sensible solution.

As such, the weapon played a minor role in the final months of the war, when Germany was finally declared a loser with extremely limited future military capabilities.

The idea of ??railroad guns was only marginally developed by the Germans during the interwar period, but it was not until the Nazis took control of the government and its army that serious work on modern railroad weapons began. The order again fell to heavy industry specialist Krupp, and the new weapon became the 21 cm K12(E) (Kanone Model 12 "Eisenbahnlafette").

The gun system was also designed around the 211mm barrel, but its layout was modified to handle the force. Design work on the system was extended from 1935 to 1938 until the first of the two weapons was successfully produced in 1938.

When completed, the 21cm K12 weighs approximately 333 tonnes and has an overall length of 135ft 6in. The barrel alone is 109 feet and 3 inches long. The breech mechanism is a horizontal slide assembly, the recoil of which is managed by a hydropneumatic system. The barrel is mounted on a specially designed structure that has an inherent elevation range of 25 to 55 degrees and a lateral range of 25 degrees.

As a railgun, the gun support structure is placed on a special two-piece frame consisting of a 10-axle assembly at the front and an 8-axle assembly at the rear to provide the necessary transport functions while supporting the massive Weight gun and mounting hardware. This complex system requires several crew members -- at least a few dozen employees -- for optimum performance.

A hydraulic jack system was installed to lift the gun approximately 3 feet off the ground.

211mm projectiles use individually charged jacketed charges. The gun fires at a muzzle velocity of up to 5,400 feet per second and has an effective range of up to 49,120 yards. Maximum range is 125,765 yards. Each grenade weighed 237 pounds, so a special lift truck was installed on the train.

Due to the lower position of the breech when firing with the raised barrel, reloading can only be done by lowering the firearm, which allows reasonable access to the breech.

In practice, the first surviving gun justified the concept, although the Army failed to appreciate the amount of prep time the gun required between shots. To solve this problem, Krupp developed the hydropneumatic balancing press, from which a second weapon system appeared, named "K12N(E)".

As it came, the first sample was called "K12V(E)".

These guns had limited service during World War II, but such guns were generally limited by the established railway networks of European countries, and this quality and range varied among the different participants in the German conquest. If they are used as static defense cannons, they can rely on a special turntable position.

Regardless, they proved tactically inflexible and ended their days with fixed installations overlooking the English Channel on the French coast. Eventually, the guns proved useless after the Allies entered France and German positions were taken.

Specification

Basic

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Armor

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