RodB Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 The Australian War Memorial has the photo below, described as "A projectile being prepared for firing from a German Army rail mounted heavy gun which bombarded Paris. The gun was reported to be at St Gobain which was 70 miles from the city." Shell looks closer to 12 inches, in comparison with the men, than the 21 cm / 8.27 inches of the Paris Gun, but the ballistic cap looks special. Is the size discrepancy a trick of the photo alignment ? Or could this be a doctored propaganda photo ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 I don't see the point of doctoring the photo, Rob. The portion of the carriage showing does seem to fit with photos of the Paris Gun that I've seenbut I'm not sure whether the working calibre was 210 or 238 mm. The photo could appear distorted by perspective. Yours, Antony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 There were actually a number of carriages for the "Paris gun" (a test one that stayed at the Krupps proving ground and a couple of travelling/emplacement ones) There were actually four Paris guns (but only one firing at any one time) this allowed the bombardment of Paris to be maintained even when the barrel went off for retubing and when one breech was destroyed when the shells were loaded in the wrong sequence. Thus there were a whole lot of carriages and there may have been differences between them. However the prime carriages were not specially built but converted from existing railway guns. This version of the photo not so heavily cropped shows more of the barrel which seems to lack the characteristic bracing of the Paris gun I wonder if it is a 'ordinary' German rail gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnock Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 Hi, this is the 38 cm SKL/45 gun the shell is longer than the one of the Paris Gun and has the characteristic 3 driving bands. it is not a railway gun, the gun is on a special bedding regards, Cnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 Not the Paris gun - well spotted RodB. It is a 38cm SK L/45 railway transportable gun (usually fired from an embedded turntable). The photo is one of a sequence taken to illustrate the loading and firing sequence. The carriage is the type that was converted for the Paris Gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 it is not a railway gun, the gun is on a special bedding Cnock Yes it is a railway gun. Many of Germany's railway guns were designed so that on reaching the firing position the carriage could be jacked up, the railway wheels bogies etc removed along with a section of track and the carriage lowered into a concrete emplacement allowing it to pivot on a turn table. The Max shown in the photo was Germany's largest WW1 railway gun. Wheels and track were stored on either side of the gun allowing the whole process to be reversed if and when you wanted to move the gun. The guns could in theory be fired from the track but elevation was limited in this case and the wheels (literally and metaphorically) showed signs of coming off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 31 May , 2011 Share Posted 31 May , 2011 Hi, this is the 38 cm SKL/45 gun the shell is longer than the one of the Paris Gun and has the characteristic 3 driving bands. it is not a railway gun, the gun is on a special bedding regards, Cnock Top-notch, Cnock. Thanks. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodB Posted 1 June , 2011 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2011 Thanks for clearing that up gentlemen, I'll notify the AWM. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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