Sturmartillerie

[cyberia]

Plenty of subject material for this thread. Germany had a wide range of self propelled artillery in WWII in all types and sizes, but I'll kick off with the big guy...

Karl

The Karl (Gerät 040) series of mortars were built by Rheinmetall just before and during the Second World War, designed to take out heavily fortified positions. The 124 ton vehicle was self-propelled for short distances on its tracks, but this mode was mostly used for aiming (the mount had only 8 degrees of traverse) as the engines provided only 10 km/h speed for huge fuel consumption. The mortar was moved longer distances via a rail mount; transport was done by hanging the whole chassis between two huge railway bogies.

The mouth of the beast-looking down the 60cm barrel of Karl

In total, six Karl-class guns were manufactured. These guns had the names Adam, Eva (1st Batt.), Thor, Odin (2nd Batt.), Loki, and Ziu. The self-propelled version of the 60 cm siege mortar was ordered in June 1937. General Karl Becker (general) of the Artillery was involved in the development, (explaining where the huge mortar gained its nickname). The driving trials were held at Unterlüss in May 1940. Delivery of the six production vehicles took place from November 1940 to August 1941. In February 1941, discussions commenced concerning increasing the range of the weapon, and in May 1942, 54 cm barrels (Gerät 041) were ordered for the six vehicles. At a conference with Hitler in March 1943 it was stated that the first 54 cm Gerät 041 would be delivered by June 1943, and the third, by mid-August. The 60 cm and 54 cm barrels appear to have been interchanged as required.

Adam, on display at the Kubinka museum, Russia.

A 60cm shell on display at a museum in London

The 60 cm Mörser Karl had a range of 6800 m (4.22 miles) at best. To put this in perspective, this is about one-third the range of a typical 105 mm/122 mm howitzer of the same era, and is closer in performance to the Infantry's heavy mortars. To extend the range, a gun barrel of 54 cm calibre and 7.1 m in length was manufactured. Three Karls were equipped with it instead of the 60 cm calibre gun to become the 54 cm Mörser, designated Gerät 041, with a longer range of 10,400 m. The ammunition for these guns weighed about 2 tons each depending on the specific ammunition type. The guns usually worked in pairs. Thirteen modified Panzer IV chassis vehicles were outfitted with special cranes as 'Munitionsträger' support loaders, two for each weapon with one extra.

Karl with tender pulled up along side

Panzer IV 'Munitionsträger'

At first the Mörser Karl was developed for use in the campaign against France's Maginot line, but as France had surrendered after the fortifications were bypassed, it was put to use for the first time on the Eastern Front against the Brest Fortress in 1941. It also saw action in the siege of Sevastopol in 1942.

In 1945, "Karl II (Eva)" as well as "Karl V (Loki)" were captured by US forces in the period 21 March to 11 April 1945. No. VI was captured by the Red Army, probably at Jueterborg on 20 April 1945. This is on display at Kubinka.
No.IV was captured by the Red Army. No.VII (experimental chassis) was captured by the US Army in Hillersleben and later shipped to Aberdeen Proving Grounds but later scrapped.
The fate of guns No.I and No.III are not known. It is possible both were captured by the Red Army in Jueterborg.

[Pirate-Drakk]

Ask yourself why only 6 were built? Because they are almost useless. They couldn't move very fast or over bad ground so you had to rail the thing to within miles of it's target. As with the K5's and Dora logistics were problematic at best and it took a lot of men to move and operate one of these guns, not to mention the train and tracks to move it. These would have rocked during WWI where there tracks could keep up with the pace of battle and blow big holes in trenches. By WWII the BIG artillery was obsolete.

Guns I-IV went to the Russian front July 1941 with 628th schwere Arillerie Abteilung.
Later, four guns were issued to the 833rd schwere Arillerie Abteilung (motorized). Adam and Eve went to the 1st Bat. and Loki and Zui (guns V and VI) went to the 2nd Battalion.

They did look cool though!

[cyberia]

Useless but cool just about sums up those really gig guns.

[Jim O]

Another "look what we can build" weapon.

[The Shadow]

Holy crow !!

The mouth, on the barrel of that thing, reminds me of my mother-in-law !!

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by The Shadow

Holy crow !!

The mouth, on the barrel of that thing, reminds me of my mother-in-law !!

Now I would never say that!!

Though I might think it.

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Now I would never say that!!

Though I might think it.

Very smart of you Jim !!

I, also, detest being hurt !!!!

LOL LOL LOL

[cyberia]

A battery of SdKfz. 165 "Hummels" schwere Panzerhaublitzen (self propelled guns)
preparing to fire on Soviet positions on the Kuban Peninsula, 1943

[cyberia]

A Strumpanzer IV Brummar

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by cyberia

A Strumpanzer IV Brummbär

Oh, you hit nerve there! I fell in love with this tank back in high school when I started playing Squad Leader. Lot's of armor, big honking gun (150 mm). Not much range, but it's great for city fights and bunker busting!!! The big gun will rubble buildings and even destroy most tanks!

Here's some great pics!
Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar Photos - Walkaround Gallery
Sturmpanzer IV Brummbr
Tanks - Brummbar - German Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar

For the modelers among you...
http://members.xoom.alice.it/ottorandi/BRUM-35-0.html

"The Sturmpanzer IV (also known as Sturmpanzer 43 or Sd.Kfz. 166) was an armoured infantry support gun based on the Panzer IV chassis used in the Second World War. It was known by the nickname Brummbär ("grizzly bear") by Allied intelligence, a name which was not used by the Germans."
Sturmpanzer IV Brummbr

Deployment info and more pics...
http://www.small-scale-armour.co.uk/...panzerIV_1.jpg

I love the funky machine gun location on the upper left corner of the mantlet.

Rock on Brummbär!