15 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Mörserlafette

Infobox Weapon
name=15 cm Schiffskanone C/28


caption=
origin=Germany
type=heavy gun
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=
used_by=flag|Nazi Germany
wars=World War II
designer=Rheinmetall
design_date=
manufacturer=Rheinmetall
production_date=1941
number=8
variants=
weight=convert|16870|kg|lb
length=
part_length=convert|8.291|m|in L/55
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=separate-loading, cased charge
caliber=149.1 mm
action=
rate=2 rpm
velocity=890 m/s
range=
max_range=convert|23700|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=horizontal block
recoil=dual-recoil hydropneumatic
carriage=box trail
elevation=0° to +50°
traverse=16° on carriage
360° on platform
blade_type=
hilt_type=
sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
armour=
primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
engine_power=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
vehicle_range=
speed=

The 15 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Mörserlafette (15 cm SKC/28 in Mrs Laf) was a German heavy gun used in the Second World War. Production of carriages for the 21 cm Mörser 18 and the 17 cm Kanone 18 in Morserlafette exceeded available barrels in 1941 and eight naval 15 cm SKC/28 coast defense gun barrels were adapted for use on the carriages. They were converted to Heer-standard percussion firing and a horizontal breechblock. See the entries of those guns for details on the design of the carriage. For Operation Barbarossa it equipped with Artillerie-Abteilung 625. [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 3/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (22nd June 1941)", 1992, p. 22] Most guns were converted to 17 cm barrels as they became available. However for Fall Blau one battery Artillerie-Abteilung 767 was with still equipped them. [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 4/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (28th June 1942)", 2004, p. 20] That same battery retained them through the beginning of the Battle of Kursk in July 1943 [Niehorster, Leo W. G. "German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 5/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (4 July 1943)", 2005, p. 41] .

Ammunition

The 15 cm SKC/28 in Mrs Laf couldn't be converted to use the Heer's standard 15 cm ammunition and had to use naval amunition. These included the 15 cm Sprgr L/4.6 KZ m Haube, the 15cm Sprgr L/4.5 Bd Z m Hb and the 15 cm Pzgr L/3.8 m Hb. The former was an nose-fuzed convert|45.5|kg|lb HE shell with a ballistic cap. The second was a base-fuzed convert|44.8|kg|lb HE shell, also with a ballistic cap. The last-named was a standard convert|45.3|kg|lb armor-piercing shell. Only one convert|14.1|kg|lb bag of propellant was used in a separate-loading cartridge case.

References

* Englemann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. "Deutsche Artillerie 1934-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliderung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz". Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974

* Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. "Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945". New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3

* Hogg, Ian V. "German Artillery of World War Two". 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X

Notes