240mm TAZ Modele 1893/96 (24 Colonies)

History

Armored trains were introduced during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and the practical use of this weapon system resulted in train cars capable of towing all types of ammunition and carrying weapons. This weapon developed considerably during the First World War (1914-1918) when all types of artillery were sought.

The value of railway artillery did not disappear from the main players of the Second World War (1939-1945) because they also invested in the railway artillery sector to have something new in Europe. Such investments are also aided by the expanding rail system brought about by the modernisation of European infrastructure, which makes faraway places more accessible now, which in turn makes rail artillery more tactically useful/flexible.

For the French, a key player in both world wars, the experience of the First World War 1914-1918 provided an excellent basis for the use and operation of these special artillery pieces. This exposure to railroad artillery led the country to develop larger and more durable types during the interwar period, and improvements to individual components, such as braking systems and recoil control, made the French creation the world's largest at the time on the best.

By the end of World War I, the French military could count nearly 550 "cannons" in active service, but just over 100 before World War II. The French Army scrapped a large portion of its stockpile instead of modernizing it through an expensive program.

The 1940 weapons inventory ranged from 164mm caliber models to large 520mm models. Between them were the 240mm TAZ Modele 1893/96 (colonial), 8 of which were mobilized to fight the Germans in the key battles of 1939-1940.

The acronym "TAZ" in the name stands for "Tout-Azimuth" and describes their special mount as "All-Azimuth," which fires the gun regardless of the direction of the carriage.

The 240mm TAZ Model 1893/96 used a 240mm 40 caliber barrel, the entire battery weighed 140,000 kg, and was transported entirely via the existing French railway system (by powered locomotives). The weapon fires projectiles weighing up to 161 kilograms at a range of 22,700 meters at a muzzle velocity of 840 meters per second.

These guns were actively used until German pressure forced them to give up. The captured system was taken over and used again by the Germans under the name "24cm K(E) 558(f)". At least three fell into their hands, and the other two were acquired through Italian conquest.

The series served in the hands of the Axis powers until the end of the war in 1945.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Depends on the ammunition supply carried.

Changes