Historic context :

Satisfied with the previous 10cm K 04 and 10cm K 14 guns, the German Army require an even longer range, that is to say an even longer tube, that must be increased from 35 to 45 calibres.

As a consequence, the corresponding weight increase is enough to bring the resulting gun in the category of the weapons that cannot be towed by horses in a single piece, despite the efforts to lighten other parts, such as the breech. Therefore, Krupp has to design its new '10 cm K 17' so that it can be dismantled for transportation in two distinct loads, the tube and the carriage.

The resulting gun that appears on the front at the end of 1917 is a very good weapon, even considering its lesser mobility and fire rate. But it is a very sophisticated piece of equipment, whose manufacturing is really complex.

This latter issue was the reason for the design of a last version, the '10 cm K 17 / 04' with considerably simplified aiming systems, recoil system and carriage, and without the useless options designed in the eventuality of an anti-aircraft use. This way, the gun was light enough to be kept in a single piece when towed by horses.

192 such '10 cm K 17' ('K' = Kanone = Gun) were produced by Krupp during the war. 90 were in service in November 1918. It was still in use in WW2.

Technical data :

• Complete description : 10cm gun M 1917 and M 1917/04
• Design year : 1917
• Calibre : 105.20 mm
• Weight in firing position : 3357 kg for K17 - 3132 kg for K17/04
• Weight for transportation : two separated loads 2700 and 2800 kg for K17 - one 3800 kg single load for K17/04
• Tube length in calibres : 45.00 (total tube length - 4870 mm)
• Grooves : 32 constant angle, to the right
• Projectile weight : 18.75 kg (obus explosif) - 16.06 kg (shrapnell)
• Initial speed : 657 m/s (HE shell)
• Fire rate :
• Range : 14100 m (Gr.15 Hb HE shell), 16500 m (Gr.18 Hb HE shell), 11500 m (Shrapnell 96 shell
• Elevation range : -2 to +45 degrees
• Direction range : 6 degrees total range

• German Artillery of World War One           Herbert Jager                   Crowood   2001  
• http://www.lovettartillery.com/      Ralph Lovett                      
• Das Geraet der Schweren Artillerie vor, in und nach der Weltkrieg       Herman Schirmer                   Bernard und Graefe, Berlin   1937