Belgium

Obusier de 21c.A.Krupp (manchonné et fretté)

under cupola

Fortress artillery

Contributor :

Andreas Liebold http://www.festungsbauten.de/

Not posted on the blog

Location :

Belgium
Loncin
Fort

Coordinates : Lat : 50.67458 / Long : 5.49196

General comments on this surviving gun :

Identical items in the same location : 2
Items covered by this file : 2

Both 21cm cupolas of Loncin have been blown up by the terrible explosion of the fort in August 1914, and landed upside-down on their pit. This is the left cupola

This is the right cupola

Both tubes barrels are marked 'Krupp'

Historic and technical information

Denomination : Ob. 21 c.A. Mod. 1889

Origin :

( Krupp)

Historic context :

Missioned for the building of the fortified rings of Liège and Namur by Belgium, the General Brialmont designed the 21 modern forts in concrete so that they can resist to the heaviest caliber known at that time with siege gun, 21 cm. He decided to arm them as well with a powerful artillery under cupolas with calibers 5.7 cm, 12 cm, 15 cm and 21 cm for their own defense and the destruction of manoeuvring ennemyt armies on the invasion routes.

For the biggest calibers of these new forts, Belgium choose a tube of German design, the 'Obusier rayé de 21 c.A. Mod 1889 (manchonné et fretté)'. Thes howitzers were incorporated under cupolas in the Liège and Namur forts the following way :

18 'Grusonwerke' cupolas for one 21cA howitzer in Liège (2 for each fort in Flémalle, Loncin, Pontisse, Barchon, Fléron, Boncelles - 1 for each fort in Hollogne, Lantin, Liers, Evegnée, Chaudfontaine, Embourg)
13 'Grusonwerke' cupolas for one 21cA howitzer in Namur (2 for each fort in St Héribert, Suarlée, Cognelée, Andoy - 1 for each fort in Malonne, Emines, Marchovelette, Maizeret, Dave)

The Belgian companies Cockerill and FRC (Fonderie Royale de Canons), associated from 1887, also designed a little bit later a 'Obusier rayé de 21c.A. Mod 1891 (manchonné et fretté)' very similar to the original Krupp model, that probably equipped some of the Belgian forts cupolas.

Technical data :

Complete description : 21 cm steel howitzer (mantled) M 1889 Krupp
Design year : 1889
Calibre : 209.00 mm
Weight in firing position : tube only : 3225 kg
Weight for transportation :
Tube length in calibres : 11.80
Grooves : 0
Projectile weight : 91 kg (obus explosif en fonte) - 90.7 kg (shrapnel)
Initial speed : 300 m/s
Fire rate :
Range : 6900 m
Elevation range :
Direction range :

Sources

Vesting - Vestingartillerie Robert Gils Simon Stevin Vlaams Vestingbouwkundig Centrum 2010

Fort de Loncin. Une nécropole, un site de guerre Louis Ruther ASBL Front de Sauveagrde du Fort de Loncin 0