7.7 cm L/27 Sockel Flak anti-aircraft Gun

Mobile medium 7.7 cm pedestal-mounted anti-aircraft gun on a wheeled metal carriage. The carriage was drawn by six horses. The gun is attached to a central mount that pivots through 360 degrees in azimuth and has provision for high elevation adjustment (up to 80 degrees). The gun barrel is made from ordnance steel and features an horizontal sliding breechblock. The breech is opened in normal operation automatically, and at the same time extracts the cartridge. The buffer uses a long recoil recuperator system.

A steel circular metal crew platform supports the central cone-shaped sockel mount for the gun. The platform can be folded laterally on each side of the central gun mount, for transportation. The enire sockel mount tilts forward for transportation, using an hydraulic piston mounted in the centre of the sockle mount. Two adjustable metal jacks are attached and act as stabilzers when the piece is in the firing position. There are two metallic road wheels at the rear of the carriage which are located in a frame that has an adjustable wheel base. A metal draw bar is located on the front axle. The entire artifact is painted in a (non original) field Grey finish.

Markings - S FLAK; NR 56; ROHRGEWICHT 426 KG; RHEINISCHE METALWAREN & MASCHINENFABRIK DUSSELDORF; SYSTEM ERHARDT.

The 7.7 cm L/27 M1914 on sockel (pedestal) mount was employed by the German Army in two configurations: mounted on motorised vehicles and on unmotorised trailers. Two models of each gun were produced - one by Rheinische Metallwaren und Maschinen Fabrik (Rheinmetall) and the other by Krupp. Later in the War, longer barrelled versions (L/35) of both weapons were developed. The gun was quite light (2.8 tonnes), highly mobile, and was thought (by the French Army, who studied the type) to have been largely employed in defence of captive baloons, for anti aircraft defence in relatively calm sectors, and for 360 degree shooting at land targets.

Examples of the Krupp gun exist in a number of collections in Europe, including at the the Imperial War Museum, the Belgian Musée Royal de l'Armée and the Koblenz Wehrtechnisches Museum, but the Memorial's gun is believed to be the only extant example of the Rheinmetal L/27 version.

The Memorial's gun was donated to Australia by the French Government. Details of its capture are unknown.

• 7.7 cm L/27 Sockel Flak anti-aircraft Gun