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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 183)
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Belgium

Obusier de 149.1 Krupp Mod. 1909

Heavy artillery

Contributor :
Bernard Plumier      http://www.passioncompassion1418.com
     
     
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Location :
Belgium
Brussels
Musée Royal de l'Armée
Coordinates : Lat : 50.84410 / Long : 4.39380
General comments on this surviving gun :


Identical items in the same location : 1
Items covered by this file : 1

Markings on the shield : 'Campagne 1914-1918 - Schoorbakke - Clerken - Cortemarck'.

Rear view. The box (unknown function) placed on the trail was probably not helping during the fire operations !

Breech markings : 'FRIED KRUPP - ESSEN 1909 - 1840 kg '.


Historic and technical information
Denomination :     149.1 Krupp Mod 1909 Origin :       ( Krupp)             ( Cockerill )          

Historic context :

In 1909 Belgium decided to buy some 15cm heavy howitzers to defend the Antwerp fortress awaiting for the construction of modern forts. The German Krupp's 149.1cm M 1909 were selected and 12 such weapons were delivered with a partial manufacturing by Cockerill. These were modern good quality howitzers, with typical Krupp tecchnologies such as the sliding block breech, the recoil recuperating hydro-spring variable system and trunnions placed far at the lower extremity of the barrel (in the middle of the breech) in order to allow the barrel recoil at high elevation angles but needing balancing springs, a large shield, ...)

Unhopefully, when the the Great War starts, the ammunition stocks are low and each of these 'Obusier 149.1 Krupp Mod. 1909' only has 83 rounds available !

Initially attached to the Antwerp fortified perimeter, the howitzers are grouped in a horse towed mobile heavy artillery unit as soon as on August 5th 1914 ('1er Groupe d'Obusiers Lourds') that has been used succesfully for the first time on August 25th during the first Antwerp counter-attack. The howitzers could escape the Antwerp area with the whole Belgian army. In September 1915, they were integrated as the Ist Group in the Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde (later named the '13A'). that also had Schneider 120 S and 150 S howitzers, and 220 de Bange mortars. They remained in service throughout the war, firing new ammunitions including some manufactured ion USA. They were declared obsolete in 1918.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 149.1 Krupp Howitzer Mod. 1909
  • Design year : 1909
  • Calibre : 149.10 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 2900 kg
  • Weight for transportation : 3255 kg
  • Tube length in calibres : 0.00 unknown
  • Grooves : 0 unknown
  • Projectile weight : 35.5 kg (explosif en acier) à 41 kg (explosif américain en acier)
  • Initial speed : 380 m/s (41 kg shell)
  • Fire rate : 3 rounds / minute
  • Range : 8600 m (41 kg shell)
  • Elevation range : -2 to +43 degrés
  • Direction range : 6 degrees total range


Sources
  • L'Artillerie Légère de Campagne Belge de 1900 à 1940 - Tome I           Colonel Roger Lothaire                   Editions du Patrimoine Militaire   2011  
  • L'Artillerie Légère de Campagne Belge de 1900 à 1940 - Tome II       Colonel Roger Lothaire                   Editions du Patrimoine Militaire   2012