German K-18 170mm Gun

Designed by the famous German arms company Krupp, the K-18 170mm gun entered service in 1941 and was used primarily for long-range counter-battery fire at the corps level. It used the same carriage as the 21cm Mörser 18, with a dual recoil system in which both the gun and its platform recoiled, reducing stress on the carriage, and once in firing position it could be traversed 360 degrees by one gunner. A drawback was that, except for very short distances, it had to be separated into two loads for transport, though it was nonetheless very successful and became the primary piece of heavy artillery batteries. Production at Hanomag Works in Hannover was badly disrupted by Allied bombing, resulting in only 338 being built, far below requirements. In 1944, captured K-18s were used by Allied batteries against German forces when Allied ammunition became scarce because of the long distance from Normandy to the front lines.

Lawton, Oklahoma · United States