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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 199)
Version française
Belgium

Canon de 15 cm A M 1890

on metal steel carriage
Fortress artillery
Contributor :
Bernard Plumier      http://www.passioncompassion1418.com
 John Woo     
     
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Location :
Belgium
Brussels
Musée Royal de l'Armée
Coordinates : Lat : 50.84510 / Long : 4.39530
General comments on this surviving gun :


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

This museum owns so rich collections that the ancient weapons exposed at its front are sometimes changing. This one clearly familiar with the German 15cm RingKanone is not identified up to now

Breech markings : '15c - N°61 Belg. - LIEGE - 1895'

Historic and technical information
Denomination :     15 c.A. Mod. 1890 Origin :       ( Cockerill)             ( FRC )             ( Krupp )

Historic context :

When Belgium started the building of the fortified rings of the Meuse river around Liège and Namur, it decided to give the forts a very powerful artillery including calibers of 12cm, 15cm and 21cm. The tubes were first ordered to Krupp, but the Belgian companies Cockerill and Fonderie Royale de Canons (FRC) gathered to soon propose barrels very similar to the German ones.

This how the 'Canon de 15c.A. Mle 1886 (Manchonné et Fretté) Kriupp' soon was joined by a 'Canon de 15c.A. Mle 1876 (Manchonné et Fretté) Cockerill - FRC', so similar that it seems likely its design was at least made in association with Krupp. The artillery cupolas of the forts of the Meuse were equipped both with 1886 type 15cm tubes (Krupp) and 1890 type tubes (Cockerill - FRC), the following way :

  • 8 cupolas 'Creusot - Vandekerchove' for two 15cA guns in Liège (1 for each fort in Flémalle, Hollogne, Lantin, Loncin, Liers, Pontisse, Embourg and Boncelles)
  • 4 cupolas 'Saint-Chamond - Cockerill' for two 15cA guns in Liège (1 for each fort in Barchon, Evegnée, Fléron and Chaudfontaine)
  • 9 cupolas 'Grusonwerke - Cockerill' for two 15cA guns in Namur (1 for each fort in St Héribert, Malonne, Suarlée, Emines, Cognelée, Marchovelette, Maizeret Andoy and Dave)
These types of barrels were also mounted on siege carriages 'affût de siège métallique Mle 1880 pour canon de 15cA Mle 1886 ou 1890' for the defense of the interval or as reserve artillery. Most of these guns and howitzers on carriage were catured by the German Army in 1914 in Antwerp, Liege and Namur, and re-used by Germany as supplemntary weapons to the modern heavy artillery in the position war.

They had 19 Belgian 15cm guns of the two types (1886 or 1890) in 1916.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 15 cm steel gun M 1890
  • Design year : 1890
  • Calibre : 149.10 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 4870 kg (tube only : 3065 kg)
  • Weight for transportation :
  • Tube length in calibres : 0.00
  • Grooves : 0
  • Projectile weight : 39 kg (obus explosif, shrapnell ou mitraille)
  • Initial speed :
  • Fire rate :
  • Range : 10400 m (explosive shell) - 6700 m (shrapnell) - 400 m (grape shot)
  • Elevation range :
  • Direction range :


Sources
  • Vesting - Vestingartillerie           Robert Gils                   Simon Stevin Vlaams Vestingbouwkundig Centrum   2010  
  • Das Ehrenbuch der Schweren Artillerie (II. Band)       Major Franz Nikolaus Kaiser                   Vaterlandischer Verlag Berlin   1934