Kupp 150mm heavy gun on wheeled carriage

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian designation :

150-мм оръдие Д-40 германско

German designation :

schwere 15cm Kanone

15cm S.K.L/40 i.R.L.

Calibre :

149.1mm L/40

Weight of the barrel :

4820 kg

Weight of the carriage :

7000 kg

Weight in action :

11820 kg

Weight in marching order :

12130 kg + 9150 kg (Bettungwagen)

Weight of the platform :

7450 kg

Barrel length :

5.96 m

Length of the bore :

4.715 m

Number of barrel grooves :

44

Cartridge

size :

153 x 577 x 175

weight :

5.5 kg

charge :

9.2 kg (full charge)

5 kg (reduced charge)

15cm Spgr. L/3,6

40 kg - charge : 4.4 kg / 4.5 kg / 4.8 kg Trotyl

15cm Spgr. L/5 (Haube)

44.2 kg - charge : 4.47 kg Trotyl

44.2 kg - charge : 4.47 kg Fp 60/40 + Di 65/35

Muzzle velocity :

750 m/s (full charge)

562 m/s (reduced charge)

Max. range :

13700 m (full charge - time)

18700 m (full charge - percussion)

11400 m (reduced charge - percussion)

Elevation :

+ 32° / - 8°

Traversing angle :

60°

Transport :

It was transported on the road dismantled in three loads, that could be moved by either tractor or horse.

Remarks :

Naval gun mounted on wheeled road-carriage (in Räderlafette). It was built in two version : the more common SKL (Schnellladungskanone or fast-loading cannon) L/40 and the longer L/45. They were obsolete guns used by pre-Dreadnoughts as secondary armament. The gun could not traverse on the mount and had to be placed on a firing platform that weighed 7,450 kg to give it 60° traverse. In Varna Naval Museum there are two of these guns, one L/40 and one L/45. At least 2 – 150mm L/40 guns were used as coast guns in the Burgas Bay, along with 2 – 150mm L/45 guns of the German FussArtBt. 710.

A little number of them was used by German units in Macedonia. In October/November 1916 near Monastir 11th German Army had two batteries armed with 150mm long gun: schw.15cm KnBt. 16 and 20. They remained in Macedonia till the end of the war, and schw.15cm KnBt. 16 with three guns fought also at Doiran in 1917. A third battery, schw.15cm KnBt. 24, was attached to 7th Rilska Division in January 1917.

In August 1918 the German Army gave up their 150mm L/40 guns to the Bulgarian artillery : schw.15cm KnBt. 20 became 18th battery of 2nd heavy artillery regiment, schw.15cm KnBt. 24 became 12th battery of 3rd heavy artillery regiment, while schw.15cm KnBt. 16 was gave probably the guns placed at Burgas.

For other information and images of this gun see:

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/15cm_feldkanone_ir.htm