Krupp 105mm field howitzer M. 1898/1909

 

 

 

 

German designation :

10.5cm lFH 98/09

Bulgarian designation :

105-мм гаубица Д-12

Calibre :

105mm L/16

Weight of the barrel :

365 kg

Weight of the carriage :

825 kg

Weight in action :

1225 kg

Weight of the limber :

1035 kg

Weight in marching order :

2260 kg

Barrel length :

1.625 m

Barrel grooves

number :

32

depth :

1.25 mm

width :

6.8 mm

Rifling

length :

1.25 m – 11.9 calibres

twist :

progressive : 1 turn in 35 to 1 turn in 15 calibres

inclination :

5° to 12°

Height of the line of fire :

1050 mm

Shield thickness :

4 mm

Cartridge

size :

110 x 92 x 129

weight :

1.1 kg

charge :

1st charge: 155 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

2nd charge: 176 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

3rd charge: 197 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

4th charge: 226 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

5th charge: 267 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

6th charge: 308 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

7th charge: 370 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

8th charge: 420 g of Würfelpulver + 10 g n.Gew.P. 71

Shells

 

F.H.Gr. 98

weight :

15.7 kg – charge : 1.48 kg Granatfüllung 88

max. range :

6300 m

F.H.Schr. 98

weight :

12.8 kg – 500 bullets x 10 g – 210 g Gew.P. 71

max. range :

5600 m

F.H.Gesch. 05

weight :

15.8 kg. – 368 lead bullets x 10 g

charge : 1.37 kg Fp. 02 – 200 g Gew.P. 71

15.8 kg. – 400 lead bullets x 10 g

charge : 970 g Fp. 02 + 400 g Fp. 60/40 – 150 g Gew.P. 71

max. range :

5300 m

H.Gr. 14

weight :

15.5 kg

charge :

300 g Fp. 60/40

max. range :

6300 m

H.Gr. 15

weight :

15.7 kg

charge :

1.4 kg Fp. 40/60

350 g Fp. 60/40 (reduced charge)

max. range :

7200 m (old T&P fuze)

5000 m (new T&P fuze)

6300 m (percussion fuze – for reduced charge shell)

F.H.Schr. 16

weight :

15.89 kg – 448 steel bullets x 11 g x 13.8 mm

charge : 170 g / 190 g of black powder

max. range :

7200 m (old T&P fuze)

5000 m (new T&P fuze)

lg.F.H.Gr.

weight :

15.5 kg / 15.8 kg

charge :

2 kg Fp. 60/40

850 g Fp. 60/40 + 1.15 kg Dinitrobenzene

1.41 kg Fp. 60/40 + 90 g picric acid (reduced charge)

max. range :

7200 m (old T&P fuze)

5000 m (new T&P fuze)

6300 m (percussion fuze – for reduced charge shell)

Muzzle velocity :

302 m/s

Elevation :

+ 40° / - 10°

Traversing angle :

4°

Track :

1.53 m

Wheels

height :

1.23 m

width

80 mm

Ammunition :

gun limber - 24, wagon - 62

Remarks :

Quick firing light field howitzer, with hydro-spring recoil system, single-motion wedge breech mechanism, traverse on pivot. It was equipped with panorama sight, but it was not fitted for an independent line of sight. As in the case of the field gun, slight alterations to the elevation could be made by means of a corrector.

The howitzer could fire with 7 different charges, an addition charge was added during the war to obtain an increased range (7000 m). It could fire also an incendiary shell (10,5cm Brandgranate) and a 12.5 kg star shell (Leuchtgeschoss L/3,3).

At the beginning of the World War the howitzer was equipped only with the universal shell (F.H.Gesch. 05), since the H.E. shell and the shrapnel model 98 had been removed from the service in 1905.

The Bulgarian designation of this howitzer refers to the length of the rifling, not to the length of the whole barrel.

German light field howitzers comparison

 

 

0K105mmHbQF_1898-09_1