The increasing needs of long range heavy guns on the static trenchwarfare induced the German Army (as most of the other fighting armies) to use tubes that were manufactured for the Navy, waiting for the development of specifically designed new guns.

The '15 cm SK L/40 i.R.L.' ('SK' = Schnellade-kanone = quick loading gun; 'i.R.' = in Räderlafette = on wheeled carriage, was engineered as early as 1915 on the base of 15 cm Krupp navy guns, mounted on a improvised carriage for use on the ground, and needing a specific platform for firing. The whole material had to be transported by rail...

The very long tube allowed impressive ranges close to 20km, but the price for this was the total weight, condemning that gun to a very poor mobility. An even longer tube was mounted on a similar carriage to form the '15 cm SK L/45 i.R.L.'.

In 1916, these monsters were progressively replaced by new and lighter guns having the same or even better performance('15 cm K 16' Krupp et Rheinmetall) or by railway heavy artillery, and often used as coastal defence artillery.

Main characteristics :

• Weight in firing position : 11820 + 7450 kg (platform)
• Calibre : 149.1 mm
• Tube length : 40 calibres
• Projectile weigth: 44.2 kg
• Initial velocity : 302 m/s
• Maximum range : 18700 m
• Elevation range : unknown
• Direction range : unknown