The technical superiority of the German artillery during the 1870 war (with the first breech-loading guns) did not prevent the General Staff from willing to improve its material, capitalizing on the battlefield experiences.

This is how the obturation weaknesses of the old fieldguns C/61 were corrected with the design in 1873 of the C/73 guns equipped with Krupp breech blocks.

Two different calibres were planned : a light 8cm (78.5mm) gun for the field artillery, manufactured in small quantities, and a heavy 9cm (88mm) fieldgun for the 'foot' artillery.

In 1914, the obsolete '9cm K 73' ('K' = Kanone), with no recoil system, was still arming numerous units of the FussArtillerie, in a later improved version C73/88 (lightened tube), and mainly C73/91 (tube in nickel-alloyed steel).

During the war, improvisations were performed to transform some of these into anti-aircraft guns. The Turkish armies used large amounts of the K73 gun, until as late as 1923.

Main characteristics :

• Weight in firing position : 1308 kg
• Calibre : 88 mm
• Tube length (total) : 24 calibres
• Tube length (grooved) : 17 calibres
• Projectile weight : 7.5 kg
• Initial velocity : 442 m/s
• Maximum range : 6500 m
• Elevation range : -10 / +41 degrees
• Direction range : none