A 15-cm sFH 18, the standard Wehrmacht heavy field howitzer. It fired a 96-pound shell to a maximum range of 12,600 yards.
A Canon de 75 modèle 1897, which was still in use in wide numbers in the French Army—more than 4,500 on inventory, according to some sources—despite its admitted obsolescence. The venerable “French 75” is widely considered by many historians to be one of the first “modern” artillery piece.
French static coastal artillery destroyed by the Luftwaffe.
A Mortier se 220 mle 1916 Schneider, a World War I–vintage piece still in limited service.
Another gun of World War I vintage still in widespread use by the French artillery was the Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux (GPF) mle. 1917.
Photo 1 of 2: More abandoned French artillery. Many of these guns would see service in the Wehrmacht as part of the Atlantic Wall or as far away as the Eastern Front in 1941.
Photo 2 of 2: More abandoned French artillery. Many of these guns would see service in the Wehrmacht as part of the Atlantic Wall or as far away as the Eastern Front in 1941.
The breech mechanism for a super-heavy artillery piece, abandoned on its travelling cradle. Possibly from a Canon de 240 L mle 84/17 St. Chamond.
A Panzer III Ausf. F, possibly of the 8. Panzer-Division. All Panzer IIIs used in the French campaign still mounted the barely adequate 3.7cm main gun. Although it has some track guard damage, this tank does not look disabled. In the foreground is the standard French light antitank gun, the 2.5cm Cannon léger de 25 antichar SA-L mle 1934. Due to its short range and the light weight of the projectile, this weapon was not very effective.
The speed of the panzers’ advance often led to the capture of complete trainloads of weapons, such as these French medium artillery pieces probably of 10.5-cm caliber.
More 75’s and 181/183 Canon de 47 antichar SA mle 1937/39 4.7-cm antitank guns. These guns were capable of knocking out all German tanks then in service.
Abandoned modern French medium field guns. Although the French had substantial numbers of artillery pieces, many of them were from World War I and, although serviceable, were no match for more modern weapons.
Another abandoned French gun.
The standard German antitank gun, the 3.7-cm PaK 36, effective only against light tanks such as the Vickers and FT 17 and totally incapable of penetrating the armor of the French S35 and Char B or the British Matilda. It was soon replaced with the much more effective 5.0-cm PaK 38. The crew steadies the trails for firing.
One of the pre-eminent heavy guns used by separate heavy artillery batteries and battalions was the 21cm Mörser 18. This howitzer—Mörser is the German term for heavy howitzer—fired 21-centimeter separately loaded cased ammunition weighing in at 250 pounds a distance of 14,500 meters. The gun featured an interesting dual-recoil system, with both the barrel and the top carriage recoiling, allowing for a very stable firing platform. In the course of the war, more than 700 units were produced.
Using scissor binoculars to observe enemy positions.
Photo 1 of 2: The crews of a 10.5-cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18, the standard German field howitzer. It fired a 14.8-kg (32.6- lb) shell to a maximum range of 10,675 meters. Although somewhat outclassed by Allied equivalents, this effective fieldpiece was in service until the end of the war.
Photo 2 of 2: The crews of a 10.5-cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18, the standard German field howitzer. It fired a 14.8-kg (32.6- lb) shell to a maximum range of 10,675 meters. Although somewhat outclassed by Allied equivalents, this effective fieldpiece was in service until the end of the war.
A 10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18 battery in action. Even though the guns are camouflaged, the muzzle flash is obvious.
Two-piece rounds for the 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18.
The 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 was an improved version of a World War I design, the schwere Feldhaubitze 13, and saw service throughout World War II. Its 96-pound separately loaded cased ammunition could be delivered up to 13,250 meters at a sustained rate of fire of four rounds a minute. Some 5,400 howitzers of this type were produced before the end of hostilities, and the gun, although eventually considered outclassed by many Allied pieces, held its own during the campaign in the West and also has the distinction of being the first artillery piece to fire a shell with a rocket-assisted propellant (to increase range).
Camouflage netting to break up the outline of the howitzer, particularly from the air.
Rapid deployment of a 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 in an open field without camouflage. German artillery units often located their guns very close to the battlefield in order to give timely and effective fire support.
Photo 1 of 2: More images of the 15-cm sFH 18 howitzer.
Photo 2 of 2: More images of the 15-cm sFH 18 howitzer.
A 15-cm sFH 18 howitzer in the process of being limbered for transport.
The full crew of a 15-cm sFH 18 howitzer. This photograph was probably taken at a training area as the inscription on the shell indicates.
A 15-cm sFH 18 howitzer battery.
This gun experienced a burst barrel, most likely as a result of premature ignition of the propellant charge or a fault with the explosive shell itself. The barrel has been blown apart. This type of accident is sometimes more dangerous to an artilleryman than enemy counterbattery fire.
A line-up of schwere 10-cm Kanone 18 and 15-cm sFH 18. It is evident how similar in appearance thes two field pieces are. The 10-cm K18 is distinguished by its longer barrel.
The schwere 10-cm Kanone 18. This was a large weapon in relation to its caliber, but it did have a high muzzle velocity, making it an excellent tank killer when firing over open sights.
The schwere 10-cm Kanone 18 fired a 15-kg shell to a maximum of 19,075 meters (21,000 yards). The army considered the performance of this gun marginal for its size, but it was kept in service until the end of the war since no better alternative presented itself.
Photo 1 of 2: Spectacular photographs of an 8.8-cm Flak battery firing at night.
Photo 2 of 2: Spectacular photographs of an 8.8-cm Flak battery firing at night.
The prodigious ammunition consumption is obvious in this image.
Due to the high rate of fire, loaders had to be both very skilled and strong. The one-piece round is clearly shown here.
Arguably the most famous artillery piece of the war was the 8.8-cm Flak, which was fielded in a variety of production models, starting with the Model 18 in prototype stage in 1928 and progressing through the Model 36 (two-piece barrel) and the Model 37 (modernized). In addition, there was a Model 41, which was employed almost exclusively in homeland defense. All of the guns featured a caliber length of 56 calibers, firing a one-piece shell of 16.3 pounds. In the antiaircraft role, it had a sustained rate of fire of between fifteen and twenty rounds a minute. The gun was first used in a ground role in France, when standard German tank main guns and antitank guns of the day could not penetrate the frontal armor of heavy French tanks.
Photo 1 of 2: This appears to be a demonstration firing.
Photo 2 of 2: This appears to be a demonstration firing.
A third shot of the demonstration.
The four-meter Range Finder Model Em 4m R40 is the standard instrument for use with heavy antiaircraft guns.
The “88” was a true multi-purpose weapon: antiaircraft, antitank, and field artillery. In the diect-fire role, it was very effective at destroying fortified positions and bunkers by firing directly into the embrasures—a terrifying experience for the occupants.
Despite its formidable reputation, the 8.8-cm Flak was a large target and, if not dug in, was extremely susceptible to ground fire.
The 8.8-cm Flak was usually towed by the Sd.Kfz. 7 half track. However, in this instance, a heavy truck is being used.
Elevation quadrant and elevating mechanism.
Setting the fuses—probably taken during a training excercise.
Field repairs being undertaken on this “88.” Although these were complex weapons, the workshop personnel were very well trained and capable of repairing all but the most serious damage.
A destroyed 8.8-cm Flak 18 with its Sd.Kfz. 7 towing vehicle. The Flak 18 weighed seven tons in travelling order. The half-track carried the gun crew of eleven men. Photographs such as this one, showing destroyed equipment, were strictly forbidden as they were considered to be bad for morale. However, this directive was largely ignored.
The standard light antiaircraft gun of the German Armed Forces, the 2-cm FlaK 30/38, here in a semi-fixed position, probably in Germany. It had a feed system using ammunition boxes with twenty rounds and could fire at a sustained rate of 120–180 rounds a minute in the hands of a good gunner and crew. The effective ceiling was 1,645 meters (5,400 feet).
The Luftwaffe Flak units took a fearful toll of Allied ground-attack aircraft as they sought to destroy bridges and interdict the panzer columns.
Training on a captured 40mm Bofors antiaircraft gun. This was an excellent weapon and widely used by both Allied and Axis forces.
The final German offensive against southern France begins. After initial heavy going against Weygand’s “Checkerboard” defense, particularly in the center, the Luftwaffe soon destroyed the supporting French artillery, and resistance started to disintegrate, with the remaining French armies trapped against the Maginot Line. British troops remaining in France were again forced to evacuate to England.