15 cm sFH 13 L/17 Heavy Field Howitzer (Germany)

German 15cm (5.9 inch) lange schwere Feldhaubitze 13/02 howitzer. Mounted on a steel box trail with two wooden spoked wheels and a slightly curved splinter-proof shield. Breech bears the Krupp manufacturer's logo and the date: 1915. Its breech block had been shattered, most probably by the weapon back-firing. Breech mechanism number 550. Carriage number 281. The gun is painted in an autumn 1918 three part 'buntfarben' scheme of earth brown, sand and cream, with a one inch black line separating each colour. The gun's tool trail box retains its wooden tool forms. Fixed onto the interior lid of the tool box is a canvas tool envelope. Shrapnel damage to left side of recuperator. Weld repairs are visible on the shield and on the recuperator. Wooden seats are missing, probably due to long exposure to outside elements, but seat supports remain. Wire rope on right side of carriage is un-wound. Cradle lock is present, and mounted on the right side of the trail. The carriage is fitted with steel wire rope axle brakes. This is a long barrelled version of the original sFH 13. The barrel is in slight recoil - its normal position would have been 200mm or so further forward on the recuperator.

This gun was captured by the 6th Battalion AIF near Proyart on 23 August 1918.

The gun with its carriage weighs 2 1/2 tons and the weight of the projectile varied, according to the purpose for which it was used, between 85 and 95 Ibs; while its maximum range was 9296 yards.