42 cm (2)

I already wrote in detail about the 42 cm super mortar here. Reading the war reminiscences, I have the impression that the moral effect of such weapons with great destructive power may have been more important. The large-caliber mortars were originally intended by the Monarchy for coastal defense. The weaker deck armor of the armored ships besieging coastal forts was thought to be penetrated by the huge projectiles fired on steep trajectories. The concept was later changed and instead these guns were deployed against the armored domes of land forts.

The post presents a rare photo of the largest barrel size 42 cm gun. The picture shows how the separately delivered parts are assembled. The gun barrel is transferred from the trailer to the already prepared gun base. The shot could have been taken somewhere on the Italian front, judging by the landscape and the houses.

The visual display of the weapon was mostly done by depicting the projectiles. The size, shape and inscription of the three differently colored badges presented here are the same. This weapon must have been very popular if so many different versions of its insignia were produced. The iron cross was not accidentally placed on the projectile. This mortar was first employed by the German forces, and then the Monarchy took it over and started producing it. The Lüttich and Antwerp inscriptions recall the German successes achieved in Belgium at the beginning of the war in 1914, where the artillery of the Monarchy also played a role with its siege guns.