Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary KuK Artillery WWI

[Markgraf]

Some 30,5 photos from Fortepan.hu

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[IrishGunner]

15 cm Autokanone M. 15/16 without gun shield

I've never seen a gun with that kind of seat...or chair!

[Markgraf]

I've never seen a gun with that kind of seat...or chair!

Some years ago I tried a similar seat on a smaller Austro-Hungarian WWI gun - it was very comfortable I try the find the photo.

[Markgraf]

Nearly 10 years ago...

Museum of the Slovak National Uprising at Besztercebánya (Banská Bystrica)

[IrishGunner]

Nearly 10 years ago...

Museum of the Slovak National Uprising at Besztercebánya (Banská Bystrica)

Those seats I'm familiar with...on the front of the gun for riding when on march.

But on the 15cm above, the chair is where the crew would set the sights of the gun. I've seen little round seats there, but not a "chair" like in the photo.

Edited to add: Okay, it's NOT a chair. I downloaded the photo and enlarged it - it's a place for standing to sight the gun ... the adjusting wheels are all positioned to be operated by someone standing on the platform.

I knew a chair made no sense there...

Edited December 1, 2013 by IrishGunner

[Markgraf]

It seems that chairs had function during the loading process...otherwise I think used them on march.

[IrishGunner]

It seems that chairs had function during the loading process...otherwise I think used them on march.

I've never seen a soldier riding the heavy guns on the march, but I suppose it's possible. That's why I thought it odd to see a "chair".

On the light field gun - like you are sitting upon, the tactic prior to WWI was to ride up right close to the fighting and bring the gun into action; therefore, the cannoniers had to be very close to the gun in order to bring it into action quickly. Most of the light field guns (7,7cm for the Germans or 8cm for the Austrians) were built in the late 19th century when this tactic was the norm. So, guns in WWI still had the seats on the front for the march.

The heavy guns at 15cm didn't use this tactic, so no need for seats. That doesn't mean they couldn't have sat on the platforms, but the primary purpose would have been for standing to sight/load the guns.

[Markgraf]

An older piece, I think a 15 cm M99/4 schwere Haubitz (from fortepan.hu):

Edited December 21, 2013 by Markgraf

[Markgraf]

A-H 1905/08 M 8 cm field gun, the No. 3777 piece made in 1916, with limber.

[graham]

ww1.habsburger.net/en/media/m1915-75-cm-mountain-cannon-photo

The M.1915 7.5 cm mountain cannon: -

[graham]

Something bigger: -

http://www.landships.info/landships/artillery_articles/38cm_haubitze_m16.html

38cm Haubitze M.16

[Bayern]

The Austro Hungarian M 15 mountain cannon was one of the best pieces of his kind ever made. it was used after the War by the Italians in Lybia, Ethiopia , Greece , Russia and again Lybia. It remained also in service with Hungary ,Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. The Czech Army until its demotion in 1939 used the gun too , the Polish Army destroyed in 1939 employed many pieces .even the Wehrmacht employed the 75mm M15 . either the ones belonging to the Austrian Bundesheer until 1938 or the Italian ones captured after the 1943 Armnistice