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Germany
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15cm lange schwere Feld Haubitze 13 L/17 und 13/02
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Heavy artillery
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Contributor :
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Location :
Belgium
Brussels
Musée Royal de l'Armée
Coordinates :
Lat : 50.84160 / Long : 4.39430
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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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Another gun in perfect condition, including the painting scheme, in this wonderful Brussels museum.
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Breech view, markings 'N°2221 - Rh.M.F.'.
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Historic and technical information
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Denomination :    
15cm sFH 13 L/17
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Origin :    
  (
Krupp)
         
  (
RheinMetall )
         
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Historic context :
During the war, Krupp proposed a modified version of the famous heavy howitzer'15 cm sFH 13', by extending the tube length from 14 to 17 calibres in order to extend the range without having to use too big propulsive loads, and by extending the dimension of the tube shell chamber so as to decrease the pressure hence the risks for prematures
This modification capitalzed on the experience gained with the 15cm sFH 13 howitzer at war and improved the ballistic properties of the howitzer, for a small sacrifice to a heavier total weight.reduction of rifle grooves and angle was another major change.
This new version was named '15 cm lg sFH 13' ('lg' = 'lange', elongated), and was manufactured to a total quantity of 1550 guns. Its inventories went from 344 in August 1917 to 1080 in November 1918. Many of them survived the WW1 in numerous countries armies.
Contractors manufacturing difficulties for the hydro-pneumatic recoil of the sFH 13 lead Krupp to design a simplified design, based on a hydro-mechanical recuperator and named '15cm lang sFH 13/02', that was produced at about 1000 items. Apart from the recuperator, the main visible differences with the 15cm lg sFH 13 are the lack of gunner and aimer seats, the lack of foldable part of the protection shield, a reinforced carriage and a modified spade. This was meant to be a 15cm sFH 02 modernization, including a change of the barrel
A detailed story of German Heavy Field Artillery creation has been written by Ralph Lovett in this page that can be recommended : Development of the German 15cm. !.
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Technical data :
- Complete description : 15cm M13 L/17 and M13/02 heavy field howitzer M 13 long
- Design year : 1916
- Calibre : 149.70 mm
- Weight in firing position : 2250 kg (2210 kg for the 15 cm sFH 13/02)
- Weight for transportation :
- Tube length in calibres : 17.00 (total tube length) - 13.7 calibres for the grooved part
- Grooves : 32 progressive angle 4 to 8 degrees
- Projectile weight : 42 kg
- Initial speed : 377 m/s at maximum charge
- Fire rate :
- Range : 8800 m - 9400 m with special ligther shell 15cm Gr 17(29 kg)
- Elevation range : 0 to +45 degrees
- Direction range : 5 degrees total range
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Sources
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German Artillery of World War One           Herbert Jager                   Crowood   2001
 
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Das Geraet der Schweren Artillerie vor, in und nach der Weltkrieg       Herman Schirmer                   Bernard und Graefe, Berlin   1937
 
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http://www.lovettartillery.com/      Ralph Lovett                    
 
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Landships II http://www.landships.info/                         
 
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