German railway gun big bertha

As ludicrous and essentially useless as these guns were in reality, they were scrapped after the war. Big bertha was a mobile artillery piece while the gamma had to be emplaced before firing, though they were moved by rail for operations in different areas. Many countries have built railway guns, but the best known are the large kruppbuilt pieces used by germany in world war i and world war ii. These are the 6 largest guns ever used in combat americas military. Also called the kaiser wilhelm geschutz emperor william gun, they were often confused with big bertha, the german howitzer used against the liege forts in 1914. Secrets of the mystery gun that shelled paris modern mechanix. The krupps started the first major steelworks in germany in 1811, and their enterprise expanded rapidly to become one of the worlds largest companies and germanys leading supplier of armaments. Big bertha german howitzer gun wwii wwii photo of a big bertha howitzer gun seized by the u.

German and captured railway guns in world war ii world. Big bertha, german dicke bertha, a type of 420mm 16. Strictly speaking, however, dicke bertha, or big bertha, is only applicable to the 42cm mdevice howitzer. The heavy gustav, hitler and generals inspecting the largest. The schlieffen plan which was designed to obtain the german defeat of france, by wheeling armies via belgium to attack the french armies in the flank, was developed during the 1890s, and sharpened practically to perfection during the years up to 1914. Both hitler and albert speer, later to be his armaments minister, attended the occasion.

The germans, like their counterparts in austriahungary, observed the outcome of the russojapanese war of 190405 with great interest where german krupp guns were utilized to good effect by the japanese in sinking all russian navy capital ships from landbased positions during the siege of port arthur. The name big bertha subsequently came to be applied generally by the allies to any very large german gun. The pinnacle of railroad artillerys longrange role was the pariskanone, or paris gun. These are the 6 largest guns ever used in combat americas.

Big bertha s bark is worse than her bite shelled houses. German troops firing a railway gun over the english channel 1940 the weapons were intended to bring down enemy fortifications from a great distance. A nazi war train hauled the biggest gun ever made medium. Jul 31, 2015 the german heavy gustav was the largest gun ever built. Big bertha german howitzer gun wwii 11x14 silver halide photo. Big bertha guns were successful in destroying numerous forts in belgium and. The schwerer gustav entered combat during the german siege of sevastopol in june. Oct 18, 2019 the pinnacle of railroad artillerys longrange role was the pariskanone, or paris gun. The name big bertha subsequently came to be applied generically by the allies to any very large german gun, such as the railwaymounted battleship guns known as langer max and the ultralong range paris gun. Big bertha howitzer artillery gun, liege, ww1 stock photo. Nazi germany built the biggest big gun ever and it was a.

The 42 cm kurze marinekanone 14 l12 light naval cannon, or minenwerfergerat mgerat, popularly known by the nickname big bertha, was a german siege howitzer built by krupp ag and fielded by the imperial german army from 1914 to 1918. This gondola was then mounted on a pair of 12wheel bogies designed to be operated on commercial and military rails built to german standards. Oct 09, 2008 secrets of the mystery gun that shelled paris. Misidentified as big bertha by parisians, it was officially named the wilhelmgeschutz in the kaisers honor. Actually a series of replaceable gun tubes, the paris guns were developed by rausenbergers team in cooperation with the german navy. May 25, 2016 big bertha was a 48ton howitzer used by the germans in wwi. A railway gun, also called a railroad gun, is a large artillery piece, often surplus naval ordnance, mounted on, transported by, and fired from a specially designed railway wagon. By the 1920s, the german military was under revitalization and the german army met with krupp to discuss the need for new railway guns that could be transported across established rail networks in germany and throughout europe if need be.

Strictly speaking, however, dicke bertha, or big bertha, is only applicable to the 42cm mgerat howitzer. Lesser works were often placed in rotating turrets, and could be part of armored trains. German 800mm railway gun schwerer gustav this mobile artillery beast weighed in at 1,350 tonnes and fired 7 tonne shells to a range of 47 km 29 miles. Officially designated as the 42cm kurze marinekanone 14 l12 in raderlafette 42cm short naval canon 14 l12 on wheeled carriage. Scenes of destruction in paris after the city is hit by big bertha german gun. Tamiya takom 5 krupp 420mm big bertha german empire model kit. After witnessing the success of other railway guns, the german high command asked krupps engineers to design a.

Krupp the krupp family was a german dynasty of industrialists. Big bertha weapon britannica encyclopedia britannica. Nazi germany built the biggest big gun ever and it was. Paris gun, any of several longrange cannon produced by the german arms manufacturer krupp in 191718 during world war i. Schwerer gustav railway gun was developed by the nazis in preparation for ww2. The krupp k5 was a heavy railway gun used by nazi germany throughout world war ii. It could fire a 2,050lb 930kg shell a distance of 9.

Kit features highly detailed exterior, multipiece short naval gun with detailed gun assemblies, 1piece gun shield, gun can elevate and depress, 2piece 42cm shell, detailed platforms and crane, brass chain. The breach loading 18inch rail howitzer gun is one of just twelve railway guns left in the world and today it began its 387mile journey from larkhill, wiltshire, to the netherlands. In 1918 the paris gun was able to shell paris from 120 kilometres 75 mi away. Big bertha literal translation fat or heavy bertha is the name of a type of superheavy howitzer developed by the armaments manufacturer krupp in germany on the eve of world war i. The fully assembled gun weighed nearly 1,350 tonnes, and could fire shells weighing 7 t to a range of 47 km. Artillery beasts railway guns in 33 pictures war history online. Big bertha howitzer jump to navigation jump to search. It was developed in the late 1930s by krupp in rugenwalde as siege artillery for the explicit purpose of destroying the main forts of the french maginot line, the strongest fortifications in existence at the time. It was developed in the late 1930s by krupp in rugenwalde as. Their most successful design, nicknamed big bertha had its railroad offshoot, the gamma device, which was a 42 cm gun capable of firing two types of ammunition.

However, it took a crew of 200 men six hours or more to assemble. It was more than 150 feet long, 40 feet tall and weighed almost 1,500 tons. The gun was designed and built under great secrecy by the firm krupp, germanys. Vol no 3 june 2005 south african military history society. German soldiers bestowed the gun with the nickname big bertha, which then spread through german newspapers to the allies, who used it as a nickname for all superheavy german artillery. Their most successful design, nicknamed big bertha had its railroad. It contains pictures of the german troops in action and it was produced by the german propaganda machine which was very efficient, even in occupied territory. Their most notable creations during that span became the paris gun and large siege howitzer big bertha. A 42 cm minenwerfergerat mgerat, popularly known by the nickname big bertha, was a german siege howitzer built by krupp ag and fielded by the imperial german army from 1914 to 1918. Wwii photo of a big bertha howitzer gun seized by the u. German and captured railway guns in world war ii world war.

The big bertha and gamma morser were both developments of a 420mm siege howitzer designed by krupp for germany leading up to world war i. In spite of a massive conventional german aerial and artillery bombardment, the tenacious soviets, safely. This included the railway guns which used mounted battleship guns known as langer max and the ultralong range paris gun. Nazi germany built the biggest big gun ever and it was a total paper tiger it was more than 150 feet long, 40 feet tall and weighed almost 1,500 tons. The gun was designed in preparation for the battle of france, but was not ready for action when the battle began, and in. It was to aid the german army in penetrating the maginot line. It was named after the wife of its designer gustav krupp. During wwi the famous german armament manufacturer, kuipp, had built huge a howitzer a gun with a relatively short length for the diameter of its barrel with the nickname big bertha.

Aug 02, 2017 nazi germany built the biggest big gun ever and it was a total paper tiger. The gustav had a bore diameter of 800 mm just under a yard and used 3000 pounds, more than a ton, of smokeless powder charge to fire its two primary shell types. War damage in paris, probably result of shells from german armys big bertha gun. For the first time in any magazine, modern mechanics here reveals the inside facts concerning the most startling and closelyguarded mystery of the world warthe official story of the giant german guns which, in 1918, dropped shells on paris from a distance. Ww2 german calendar 1944 his is a 1944 calendar, published in belgium by the germans near the end of world war ii.

A big bertha, a heavy howitzer gun developed in germany at the start of world war one. The paris gun, used in 1918 after all big berthas had been removed from service, has historically been confused for the mgerat. Big bertha also known as the fat bertha during world war i. Apr 18, 2020 kurze marinekanone 14 l12 mgerat big bertha type. Mar 21, 2015 big bertha german howitzer gun wwii wwii photo of a big bertha howitzer gun seized by the u. Officially designated as the 42cm kurze marinekanone 14 l12 in raderlafette 42cm short naval canon 14 l12 on wheeled carriage, the gun was.

One was destroyed in trials and the other did not complete firing trials prior to the signing of the armistice. Where is schwerer gustav an 800 mm german railway gun now. Schwerer gustav was a german 80centimetre railway gun. Big bertha german howitzer gun wwii photo print for sale. It was developed in the late 1930s by krupp of essen as artillery for the explicit purpose of destroying the main forts of the french maginot line during a siege. The heavy gustav, was completed towards the end of 1940 and the proof rounds were fired early in 1941 at the rugenwalde artillery range. The german heavy gustav was the largest gun ever built. When railway guns ruled, 19161944 rare historical photos.

Paris gun, called big bertha by the french, and several other big heavy german guns of world war i vehicles edit mr 0100 lickey banker, a large railway banking engine, especially of a 0100 steam locomotive configuration. The nazi propaganda image shows german wehrmacht soldiers reloading the munitions of a heavy railway gun at a base on the atlantic wall, published in february 1944. The 28cm kanone 5 eisenbahn schlanke bertha or slim bertha, was one of the most effective railway guns ever produced, and was large enough to have a major impact on the fighting, without being so large that it became too cumbersome to be used effectively. Rare 200 tonne railway gun to make historic journey to. The amiens railway gun, australias largest trophy from world war i, was officially unveiled on 26 march 1920. Big bertha was a 48ton howitzer used by the germans in wwi. The guns were so called because they were specially built to shell paris at a range, never before attained, of approximately 121 km 75 miles. Railway guns were placed on a special railway platform enabling it to fire. The 42 cm kurze marinekanone 14 l12 light naval cannon, or minenwerfer gerat mgerat, popularly known by the nickname big bertha, was a german. Schwerer gustav this was the name given to a german 80 cm railway gun, a huge piece of artillery designed to be shot from a railway wagon. Big german gun, mounted on a train, in full action. German troops firing a railway gun over the english channel 1940. Oct 08, 2018 the big bertha was a german initiative set into action before world war 1 19141918.

The 6 largest guns ever used in combat business insider. Big bertha was a mobile artillery piece while the gamma had to be emplaced. Amiens railway gun new south wales anzac centenary state. A nazi reporter has written on the reverse of the picture on 10. Keep in mind that the nazis had to build a parallel set of railway tracks to wherever they wanted to set up the gun to fire and it took over 100. The german paris gun, also known as williams gun, was the largest artillery gun of world war i. Big bertha simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.