Schwere Gustav(Colourful)

[Seeker]

Big Bertha

Just the top of the list of a google search.

Paints quite a good picture; I hate to think what it must have been like to be i Sebastopol.

I can see Izzy's point; but I would have thought the larger guns to be very vulnerable jabo targets.

Were any of them lost this way?

[MiloMorai]

From the book shown in a post above.

On June 22 1941 the batteries were deployed as follows: Eastern Front: southern sector - 2; central sector - 5; northern sector - 2; Balkans - 1; Western Front - 9; Rugenwalde - 1. At the same time, there was 13 armoured trains numbered: 1-7, 15, 21-25. In 1942, 5 railroad guns were built (USA: 50 guns built); in 1943, 4 guns (USA: 1300), 1844 USA 450. As compensation for their fewer guns, the German railway artillery units had the heaviest and best weapons in WW2.

It notes that the biggest problem with the RR guns was that they were restricted to tracks which could leave the gun isolated.

The logistics for the guns was huge. A K5(E) battery with one or two guns required 2 seperate trains. The "gun train" had a loco, the K5(E) gun, a ventilated ammo car, a diesel switching loco, 2 shell cars, 2 propellant cars, 1 equipment car, 1 armoured car, 1 kitchen and supply car, 1 flat car (flak) a 3 buses (passenger) cars. The "turntable train" had a loco, 1 car for each section of the turntable, 1 car for the 16 sections for the circular traverse track and the construction crane, 1 car with rail and track fittings, 3 ammo cars,  1 supply and tool car, 1 flak car, and 9 flat cars for unit vehicles.

The 80cm gun required 3 or 4 construction trains (about 1000 men) and another train for the railraod pioneers. About 1500 locals were required.

The heavy artillery unit for the Dora required all told ~3900 men.

The Dora's armoured tip shell weighed 7.1t while the HE shell weighed 4.8t. It required 3 propellant charges weighing between 1.85 - 2.0t each. With 3 charges and shell length was 6.79m for the armor shell and 8.26m for the HE shell. When fired, the track was displaced 3-5cm.

[JB42]

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the aiming of the large railroad guns were the precurser to rocket science. Because of the trajectory and distance, the Earth's rotation had to be taken into account while aiming.

[indy007]

Originally posted by JB42
I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the aiming of the large railroad guns were the precurser to rocket science. Because of the trajectory and distance, the Earth's rotation had to be taken into account while aiming.

Actually alot of people will argue that it competes with rocket science. The idea of being able to put satellites into orbit with a gun has led to alot of crazy designs & innovations by guys like Gerald Bull. He was a superb gun designer, and was building "Babylon" for Iraq. Could've literally shelled Israel from across the middle east. They say the Mossad got him.