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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 1046)
Version française
Germany

15cm Ring Kanone 72
Heavy artillery
Contributor :
Adi V     
     
     
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Location :
Romania
Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Mehedinti county
Roses Park
Coordinates : Lat : 44.62327 / Long : 22.65169
General comments on this surviving gun :
This hun identification remains uncertain, between a 15cm RK 1872 Krupp, or a 1880 dated model from the same builder


Identical items in the same location : 2
Items covered by this file : 2

These guns are not known to have been in service with the Romanian army, and are the only ones of this type in the country.

There is small inscription on the left hand side of the carriage, below the barrel attachment point, which reads Fried. Krupp ESSEN o/R No 21 The other gun has No 23

There's also a barely visible inscription just above the breech, only the number 22 is readable - on both guns
Historic and technical information
Denomination :     15cm RK 72 Origin :       ( Krupp)          

Historic context :

The 15 cm RK 72 ('RK' = 'Ring Kanone') appeared in 1872 as a susbstitution of the old bronze guns 25 pdr and 15 cm K C/64. Krupp's mastering of the steel forged rings tubes allowed this company to propose a more perfroming alternative to the guns that dominated the French artillery in 1870, offering also a taller carriage.

Of course, this gun was obsolete in 1914, but it was used on the front by the FussArtillerie in order to fulld=fill the increasing needs of heavy Artilery by the positions war side to side with the modern materials. Its relative short range probably has been a handicap though in the fighting conditions met during WW1.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 15c Ring Kanone M 72
  • Design year : 1872
  • Calibre : 149.10 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 4930 kg
  • Weight for transportation : 2 loads 4560 kg and 2780 kg
  • Tube length in calibres : 23.00 (total length - 16.2 grooved part)
  • Grooves : 24
  • Projectile weight : 35.53 à 42 kg
  • Initial speed : 396 m/s
  • Fire rate :
  • Range : 7900 à 8050 m
  • Elevation range : -5 to +29 degrees
  • Direction range : none

Sources
  • German Artillery of World War One           Herbert Jager                   Crowood   2001  
  • Das Geraet der Schweren Artillerie vor, in und nach der Weltkrieg       Herman Schirmer                   Bernard und Graefe, Berlin   1937