OOB 16 error report

[Marcello]

Originally Posted by DRG

New problem discovered... China has the 15cm sFH 18 2 years before the German army gets it I doubt they ever saw it but I'll look into that now as well
Don

I have done some superficial diggings. China purchased non trivial amounts of german weapons in the 30's and if the sources are correct this did indeed include a supply of Krupp 15cm howitzers of a supposedly "L32" model around the date specified in the chinese OOB.

[DRG]

Thanks for opening THIS little can-o-worms Marcello !

I can see this turning in my project du jour

While trying to figure out just what 150 mm artillery piece the Chinese could have had in the mid 30's I came across an article that mentioned the range of the German sFH 18 was less than the Russian 122 so I checked and yes indeed the 122 out ranges the German gun in the OOB's but only by a margin of 210 - 209. The article in question said it was closer to nearly 7 km

I pulled out Hoggs book and the range we have is the max range of the sFH 18 using a rocket assisted shell ( 19,000 metres )or 209 in the OOB ) the rocket assisted shell was not a standard item and could only be fired by guns fitted with muzzle breaks

The maximum range a sFH 18 could fire was charge 8 giving it a range of 13,250 m. That's 203 in game terms which fits the comment of the first article regarding it's disadvantage at counterbattery against the Russian 122.

Don

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Marcello

I have done some superficial diggings. China purchased non trivial amounts of german weapons in the 30's and if the sources are correct this did indeed include a supply of Krupp 15cm howitzers of a supposedly "L32" model around the date specified in the chinese OOB.

If these are internet sources give me the links. They may indeed have had s FH 18's but the only way they would have them 2 years before the German army would be if they were field testing them in China

I'm working on this link now
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=101&t=105386

Don

[DRG]

It *may* be it's supposed to be a '15cm Howitzer Type 19 '

quote
The Type 12, 14 and 19 were made prior to the Sino Japanese war by the Taiyuan Arsenal with the help of German engineers"

still digging...

[Marcello]

Originally Posted by DRG

Thanks for opening THIS little can-o-worms what 150 mm artillery piece the Chinese could have had in the mid 30's

One possibility is that it may have been one of the sFH 18 immediate predecessors as the sFH 18 seems to have been created by mating two competing designs from Krupp and Rheinmetall.
It is perhaps possible that these howitzers were produced for export purposes on a limited basis.

[DRG]

It could be that but I havn't found anything in Hoggs book ( yet ) like that. It could be the FH 13 sold as surplus or it could be the chinese Type 19. I'm tracking down the type 19 now

Don

[Marcello]

For what is worth here it gives:

15cm L32:
1934: 24 China

[DRG]

I'm just loading that now and will have a look. The Chinese may end up with 2 155 mm guns before this is done

Did find some more info on the sFH, again, from Hoggs book.

Ian V Hogg. German artillery of WW2

( just so everyones clear this isn't Wikipedia or some guy on a forum someplace )

"Although the s FH was provided with eight charges it was found that the two highest charges induced considerable strain; neither was normally fired, firing being restricted to charges 1 - 6 . Firing Charge 7 and 8 was allowed in special cases but had to be authorized by a higher formation and the reasons certified by the troop commander. not more than ten rounds could be fired consecutively at the higher charges and these had to be entered into the gun history document so that a record of all such rounds existed.

The use of these charges eventually led to erosion of the chamber so that it became difficult to seal the breech with a cartridge case and in early 1942 a system of repair ( by reaming out the chamber metal and inserting a liner ) was introduced. At the same time a muzzle break was designed and issued to reduce the stress on the carriage, but the special rules regarding the firing of charges 7 and 8 remained in force. Weapons fitted with the muzzle break were known as 15cm FH 18M"

Given that the max range is only used in counter battery fire in the game I think it's reasonable that this would be a case authorized for the use of the higher charges but that still leaves the max range for that piece to be 13,250 metres or 203 in game terms. Once I track down exactly when the rocket assisted shells were issued I will build a version that allows that shell to be fired but that will only exist from mid war on

I'm sure glad you mentioned that ROF issue...

Don