FORTRESS ARTILLERY WEAPONS |
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IN CONTINUATION WAR 1941 - 1944 |
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Field Gun Designation in Finland Finnish field gun designation is explained
on Field Artillery Weapons in Winter War page. Fortress Artillery Pieces 1941 - 1944 Since spring 1940 obsolete and mixed field artillery pieces were usually given to Fortress and Coastal Artillery. In fact fortress artillery units were formed using the suspended units of Sea Defence of Lake Ladoga and Vyborg Sector for the defence of the new "Salpa" fortified line constructed after the Winter War. The biggest lack was that these units were unsuitable for moving warfare because they usually didn't have own vehicles for towing guns. In 1941 fortress units were under-equipped and manned and their personnel consisted mainly of inexperienced reservists. Most officers and many NCOs were on the other hand very experienced soldiers from Coastal Artillery. Training was thus effective and most units were combat-ready at the beginning of the Continuation War. During the static trench warfare period between summer 1942 and June 1944 fortress artillery was still used in East Karelia to save valuable field artillery ammunition and gun barrels. Quite soon Fortress Artillery proved its importance having usually almost limitless ammo supply unlike Field Artillery which always had to think about the ration of shots and wearing of gun barrels. Older pieces were usually as effective as the newer ones but many weapons were difficult to move, point at or the rate of fire was very slow (1 - 2 rds/minute). In Northern Finland Germans laughed at first when they saw the most typically used 120 K/78 de Bange cannons in action but their suspicion changed as soon as they saw the excellent results gained. Germans even filmed these guns in action and used the film for propaganda purposes - they were so impressed! Super heavy 155 K/77 de Bange was more accurate weapon than any of the newer models although they had to use "wrong" ammunition intended for howitzers of the same calibre. Their range was additionally increased from 9 to 11 km by lifting the wheels on the stand. Fortress artillery units used also newer pieces which were too worn out or somehow unsuitable for Field Artillery. Smaller calibre guns were usually much easier to move and thus more popular. When all ammunition had been shot, guns got broken or barrels were definitely worn out guns were abandoned and unit was re-equipped. Many artillery pieces in the following list were also used in Coastal Artillery.
. Field Artillery Pieces Used by the
Finnish Fortress Artillery 1941 - 1944:
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© 2001 - 31.10.2003 Harri Anttonen