While the experts of the APK German light artillery (Artillerie Prufungs Kommission - Artillery tests commission) denied the interest of the recoil recuperation systems until 1904, the heavy artillery experts adopted that progress in 1902, and first modernised the old 1893 15 cm fieldhowitzer.

The resulting new gun, named '15 cm sFH 02' ('sFH' = schwere Feld Haubitze = Heavy field howitzer) was therefore the very first gun of the German artillery to be equipped with a recuperator, finally joining the worrld of modern artillery. However, this howitzer was still missing a protection plate for the servants.

The batteries of the foot artillery were equipped with 416 such howitzers at the beginning of the war.

Its 42 kg projectiles gave a considerable destructive power, at a quite satisfactory range of 7.5 km.

The new version '15 cm lange sFH 13 lang' appeared in 1913 induced the modernization of numerous existing '15cm sFH 02', with the modification of the frame and a longer tube (17 calibres for an initial 12). These modernized materials were called '15 cm sFH 13/02', and were produced to a quantity of about 1000 items..

Main characteristics :

• Weight in firing position : 2035 kg (2210 kg for the M13/02)
• Calibre : 149.7 mm
• Tube length : 12 calibres (17 for the M13/02)
• Projectile weight : 42 kg
• Initial velocity : 325 m/s (365 m/s for the M13/02)
• Maximum range : 7450 m (8500 m for the M13/02)
• Elevation range : -0 / +42 degrees
• Direction range : 4 degrees