Contributor :
Not posted on the blog
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Location :
Belgium
Loncin
Fort
Coordinates :
Lat : 50.67458 / Long : 5.49196
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General comments on this surviving gun :
Identical items in the same location :
2
Items covered by this file :
2
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Historic context :
Missioned for the building of the fortified rings of Liège and Namur by Belgium, the General Brialmont designed the 21 modern forts in concrete so that they can resist to the heaviest caliber known at that time with siege gun, 21 cm. He decided to arm them as well with a powerful artillery under cupolas with calibers 5.7 cm, 12 cm, 15 cm and 21 cm for their own defense and the destruction of manoeuvring ennemyt armies on the invasion routes.
For the biggest calibers of these new forts, Belgium choose a tube of German design, the 'Obusier rayé de 21 c.A. Mod 1889 (manchonné et fretté)'.
Thes howitzers were incorporated under cupolas in the Liège and Namur forts the following way :
- 18 'Grusonwerke' cupolas for one 21cA howitzer in Liège (2 for each fort in Flémalle, Loncin, Pontisse, Barchon, Fléron, Boncelles - 1 for each fort in Hollogne, Lantin, Liers, Evegnée, Chaudfontaine, Embourg)
- 13 'Grusonwerke' cupolas for one 21cA howitzer in Namur (2 for each fort in St Héribert, Suarlée, Cognelée, Andoy - 1 for each fort in Malonne, Emines, Marchovelette, Maizeret, Dave)
The Belgian companies Cockerill and FRC (Fonderie Royale de Canons), associated from 1887, also designed a little bit later a 'Obusier rayé de 21c.A. Mod 1891 (manchonné et fretté)' very similar to the original Krupp model, that probably equipped some of the Belgian forts cupolas.
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Technical data :
- Complete description : 21 cm steel howitzer (mantled) M 1889 Krupp
- Design year : 1889
- Calibre : 209.00 mm
- Weight in firing position : tube only : 3225 kg
- Weight for transportation :
- Tube length in calibres : 11.80
- Grooves : 0
- Projectile weight : 91 kg (obus explosif en fonte) - 90.7 kg (shrapnel)
- Initial speed : 300 m/s
- Fire rate :
- Range : 6900 m
- Elevation range :
- Direction range :
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