Contributor :
Massimo (Flickr) Foti     
     
     
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Location :
Austria
Vienna
Heeresgeschichtliches Museum
Coordinates :
Lat : 48.18550 / Long : 16.38910
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General comments on this surviving gun :
Identical items in the same location :
1
Items covered by this file :
1
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Historic context :
Attentively observing the pre-1914 conflicts, Austro-Hungaria had come to the same conclusion as other nations, convinced of the need of light field howitzer designed for a movement war where an ennemy could entrench himself. For this purpose, a study was launched that gave birth in 1899 to a '10 cm Feld Haubitze M99' light field howitzer.
This weapon was designed to answer to the mission of launching a 14 kg projectile at a distance comparable to the one reached by the similar howitzers of other nations, while staying real light (less than 1 ton). It was based on a 104 mm calibre fretted bronze barrel (2 components), an eccentric screw breech of the 'Nemetz' type, and a carriage similar to the one of the 8cm FK M99 prototype fieldgun, that is to say without any other recoil brake / recuperation system than a spade spring.
Despite the fact it was made at a time where Austria could not ignore the existence of barrel - carriage elastic link systems, this choice was deliberately made because of the complexity of designing such a mechanism for high elevation angle materials, as well as for weight reasons.
After a test period within an operational battery, this light howitzer was adopted in 1902 and distributed to the army units. It was the reglementary light field howitzer of Austro-Hungaria when the war started in August 1914, and stayed in service through the whole war.
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Technical data :
- Complete description : 10 cm howitzer M 1899
- Design year : 1899
- Calibre : 104.00 mm
- Weight in firing position : 997 kg
- Weight for transportation :
- Tube length in calibres : 13.00
- Grooves : 36
- Projectile weight : 14.3 kg
- Initial speed : 290 m/s (high explosive) - 305 m/s (shrapnell)
- Fire rate :
- Range : 6100 m (high explosive) - 5600 m (shrapnell)
- Elevation range : -10 to +42.5 degrees
- Direction range : none
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