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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 303)
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Germany

10cm Kanone 17 - 10cm Kanone 17/04

Light artillery

Contributor :
John NA Conrad     
Bernard Plumier      http://www.passioncompassion1418.com
     
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Location :
Germany
Koblenz
Wehrtechnisches Museum
Coordinates : Lat : 50.36940 / Long : 7.58560
General comments on this surviving gun :


Identical items in the same location : 1
Items covered by this file : 1

The 5m tube of this K17 L/45 is so long, and the museum so tight, that it has been difficult to find the good picture angle

Renovated camouflage, but credible

Rear view with the small craddle under the breech, typical of the K17 model. Breech markings : 'Nr 36 - Rh.M. - 1870 kg m.V.'


Historic and technical information
Denomination :     10cm K 17 Origin :       ( Krupp)          

Historic context :

Satisfied with the previous 10cm K 04 and 10cm K 14 guns, the German Army require an even longer range, that is to say an even longer tube, that must be increased from 35 to 45 calibres.

As a consequence, the corresponding weight increase is enough to bring the resulting gun in the category of the weapons that cannot be towed by horses in a single piece, despite the efforts to lighten other parts, such as the breech. Therefore, Krupp has to design its new '10 cm K 17' so that it can be dismantled for transportation in two distinct loads, the tube and the carriage.

The resulting gun that appears on the front at the end of 1917 is a very good weapon, even considering its lesser mobility and fire rate. But it is a very sophisticated piece of equipment, whose manufacturing is really complex.

This latter issue was the reason for the design of a last version, the '10 cm K 17 / 04' with considerably simplified aiming systems, recoil system and carriage, and without the useless options designed in the eventuality of an anti-aircraft use. This way, the gun was light enough to be kept in a single piece when towed by horses.

192 such '10 cm K 17' ('K' = Kanone = Gun) were produced by Krupp during the war. 90 were in service in November 1918. It was still in use in WW2.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 10cm gun M 1917 and M 1917/04
  • Design year : 1917
  • Calibre : 105.20 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 3357 kg for K17 - 3132 kg for K17/04
  • Weight for transportation : two separated loads 2700 and 2800 kg for K17 - one 3800 kg single load for K17/04
  • Tube length in calibres : 45.00 (total tube length - 4870 mm)
  • Grooves : 32 constant angle, to the right
  • Projectile weight : 18.75 kg (obus explosif) - 16.06 kg (shrapnell)
  • Initial speed : 657 m/s (HE shell)
  • Fire rate :
  • Range : 14100 m (Gr.15 Hb HE shell), 16500 m (Gr.18 Hb HE shell), 11500 m (Shrapnell 96 shell
  • Elevation range : -2 to +45 degrees
  • Direction range : 6 degrees total range


Sources
  • German Artillery of World War One           Herbert Jager                   Crowood   2001  
  • http://www.lovettartillery.com/      Ralph Lovett                      
  • Das Geraet der Schweren Artillerie vor, in und nach der Weltkrieg       Herman Schirmer                   Bernard und Graefe, Berlin   1937