The need for field howitzers able to shot powerful projectiles on a bell-type trajectory was confirmed by the war pans of the German Headquarters.

The field howitzer '10 cm lFH 98' ('lFH' = leichte Feld Haubitze = field howitzer) was affected by the same weakness as the '7.7 cm FK 96 aA' fieldgun, that is the lack of a recuperator system. Therefore, an important revamping was made to create the new model, the '10 cm lFH 98/09' howitzer, introduced by Krupp in 1909.

This light howitzer composed the backbone of the German field artillery ('Feldartillerie'), together with the '7.7cm FK 96 n/A' fieldgun, at the beginning of the war. Their action at the beginning of the war was a bitter confirmation of the lack of equivalent weapons in the French Army, hypnotized by its mighty '75', brilliant in flat trajectory fire but incapable of curved trajectories. In August 1914, the German armies had 1260 such howitzers. At the end of the war, 1144 were still in service.

Main characteristics :

• Weight in firing position : 1225 kg
• Calibre : 105 mm
• Longueur du tube : 16 calibres
• Number of grooves : 32
• Projectile weight : 15.8 kg
• Initial velocity : 302 m/s
• Maximum range : 6300 m
• Elevation range : -10 / +40 degrees
• Direction range : 4 degrees total range