Coastal Gun Designation in Finland
Coastal guns were designated in Finland with
calibre (in full millimeters), [back-slash,] barrel
length in calibers, shortening indicating gun type and
sometimes mount type (usually derived from the designer's
or manufacturer's name). Field artillery pieces had their
normal designation.
.
Coastal Artillery Pieces 1939 - 1945
Finland had quite a strong coastal defence
constructed by the Imperial Russian Navy between
the end of 19th Century and 1917 belonging to the so
called (Czar) Peter the Great's Fortress System
which protected the coast of Gulf of Finland as well as
the sea routes to St. Petersburg (Leningrad). Most
batteries and guns were already ageing by 1917 but
fortifications were maintained, strengthened and improved
during the 1920's and 30's. Many forts were modernized
because new firing methods enabled decentralizing of guns
making them less vulnerable to enemy counter-fire. During
the war strong coastal artillery repelled all naval
actions against Finnish sea coast.
The most numerous Finnish coastal guns were
light 75 mm [3"] Canet (75/50 C
or O) (range 9.8 - 12.9 km) and heavy
152 mm [6"] Canet (152/45 C) (range
about 20 km). Since 1930's a remarkable improvement in
range was achieved in "turning" gun barrels
enabling more elevation. Other mainly mixed and less
effective models were used in less vulnerable areas.
Smaller calibre 47 and 57 mm coastal guns were used for
passage protection and close defence.
A few new strong super heavy 305 mm [12"]
Obuhov single (305/52 O) and twin (305/52
O2) turret batteries (range 36, 40 or 41 km
depending on the mount) based on former unfinished
modified Russian turrets were constructed by1940 using
old Russian barrels. Another important super heavy model
was already obsolescent 256 mm [10"] Durlacher (256/45
D) (range 27.5 km).
In addition to fixed coastal guns older and
mixed field gun models were also given to Coastal
Artillery as moving batteries or for close defence
of forts and passages. "Auxiliary guns" were
usually used to save ammunition and fast wearing gun
barrels of the large calibre fixed guns. There were also
modern captured field guns which had limited ammunition
supply or were difficult to handle or move but had long
range.
.
Railway Guns 1939 - 1944
In Finland railway guns belonged to coastal
artillery. At the beginning of Winter War there was only
one heavy 152/45 CRaut Canet
gun on a flat car carriage. Two more were completed on 11.3.1940.
Since 31.7.1941 there were four guns..
Four 180 mm super heavy railway guns (180/57
NRaut) (range 37.7 km in the sector of 360
degrees from rails) were repaired in Finland from the
partly destroyed Soviet guns captured in the summer 1941
at Säiniö in Karelian Isthmus and in December 1941 in
Hanko peninsula. Guns were completed in September 1941,
in December 1941, in June 1943 and on 28.10.1943.
In 1939 France donated twelve 12" large
calibre barrels of former Russian battleship Imperator
Alexander III (so called "Bizerta Guns").
Actually only 8 barrels arrived in Finland because
Germans captured four ones in 1940. Using these barrels
Finns managed to repair three captured 305 mm [12"]
railway guns (305/52 ORaut) (range 52 km).
Guns were completed in October 1942, February 1943 and by
the end of July 1943. Maximum sector if fired from the
rails was only a few degrees but gun could be lowered to
a prepared concrete position from where it could fire in
sectors of 360 degrees.
.
.
.
.
Country of origin is either a country where guns were
produced, modified and/or obtained:
Fra = France
Rus = Russia
Fin = Finland
Jap = Japan
SU = Soviet-Union
UK = United Kingdom (Great Britain)
USA = United States of America.
.
Gun Models used by the Finnish
Coastal Artillery 1941 - 1945
..
Finnish
Designation/
Name: |
Range:
[km] |
Pcs:
[39/41/
44/(9.44)] |
Country
of Origin: |
Notes,
Original Name: |
|
|
|
|
|
Guns
without Recoil System (Jäykkälavettiset
kanuunat):
. |
87 K/95 90 K/77
107
K/77
107
K/77-piirk.
.
152
K/04-200 p
155
K/77
.
.
.
|
6,5 9,7
5,3
8,3
.
11,2
12,3
|
-/40/ -/?/?
50/-/-
-/?/?
.
4/4/4
-/?/?
|
Rus Fra
Rus
Rus
.
Rus
Fra
|
Including 87 K/95-R cavalry version
with shorter barrel. Materiel de
90 de Campagne, Mle 1877 (de Bange).
Made
by Krupp and Obuhov. Not used since 1940.
piirk.
= siege cannon with longer barrel and
higher carriage.
Made
by Obuhov, with heavy barrel.
Canon
de 155 Long, Mle 1877 (de Bange),
used by Hanko Group, one battery was
mounted to
"Mk" [Naval Cannon] mount at Herrö
(Åland Islands).
|
Light
Cannons (Kevyet kanuunat):
. |
75 K/97
.
.75 K/01
.
75
K/17
.
76
K/00
76
K/02
76
K/02-30/40
.
.
76
VK/04
76
K/22
.
76
K/23
76
K/37
.
.
|
7,9
.
.9,6
.
10,7
.
8,75
10,6
13,5
.
.
5,5
10,6
.
10,6
11,8
|
-/48/-
.
.-/-/?
.
-/42/?
.
-/?/?
-/?/?
-/-/12
.
.
-/9/8/(3)
-/4/4
.
-/4/4
-/-/8
|
Fra
.
.Nor
.
USA
.
Rus
Rus
Rus/SU
.
.
Rus
Fra
.
Fra
Swe
|
Materiel de 75, Mle 1897, since 1941
used only in
coastal artillery due to worn-out barrels. Re-built
in
Germany as 75 PaK 97-38 in 1942 (46
were returned).Guns were given to coastal
artillery in 1942. The last
two guns were at Herrö and Mariehamn
(Åland Islands).
Given
also to coastal artillery since 1941. Initially
in
field batteries, since 1942 in movable coastal
batteries.
A
few used by coastal artillery during Continuation
War.
Used
by coastal artillery during Continuation War.
War
booty (1941), modernized K/02 with longer L/40
barrel. Since 1942 used by Lake Ladoga Coastal
Brigade.
Used
as fixed coastal guns during Continuation War.
Bought
for trials, since 1941 used by
308. Light Battery / Lake Ladoga
Coastal Brigade.
Bought
for trials, since 1941 used by coastal artillery.
Rebarreled
75 K/40 A, since 1944 used by coastal
artillery.
|
Heavy
Howitzers and Cannons (Raskaat haupitsit ja
kanuunat):
. |
105 KH/36
.
.
.
.122 K/31
.
152 H/37
.
.
.
|
16
.
.
.
.20
.
17
|
-/-/1
.
.
.
.-/-/25
.
-/-/66
|
Swe
.
.
.
.SU
.
SU
|
Experienced gun-howitzer bought from
Sweden in
1939 (arrived on 15.1.1940) with changeable
barrel
(105 mm cannon / 152 mm howitzer). During
Winter War at Kaarnajoki fort in 1940,
since 1942
at Saunasaari battery (Lake Ladoga
Coastal Brigade).In 1944 4th,
5th and 6th Motorized Heavy
Batteries,
four guns were lost in the summer 1944.
In
1944 1st, 2nd and 8th
Motorized Heavy Batteries,
two guns were lost in the summer 1944. Also field
artillery used these guns.
|
Light
Coastal Guns (Kevyet rannikkotykit):
. |
37/20 O 37/30 Ma
37/40
Po (or LP)
40/40
V15
40/40 V34
45/47
N
47/30
Ja (or H)
47/40
H (or HL)
47/40
O
57/26
K (or Cap)
57/40
H
57/48
No
57/45
Br
57/50 De
57/58
H
75/50
C
75/50 O
75/50 OH
76/30
P (or IP)
76/49
OH
.
.
|
4,4 4,4
5,0
6,5
.
4,0
5,5
.
5,5
5,5
4,0
?
9,0
9,0
.
9,7
9,8+
10
12,9
9,0
?
|
7/7/7 ?/?/16
5/5/5
?/?/6
8/8/8
-/-/11
4/4/4
.
16/16/19
54/49/56
17/?/?
-/-/2
40/?/26
3/3/3
2/2/2
17/?/8
74/?/66
.
.
-/2/2
-/8/8
|
Rus Rus/Fin
USA/Rus
UK/Rus
UK
SU
Jap/Fra
/Rus/Fin
Fra/Rus
Rus
Rus
UK/Rus
Rus
USA
/Rus/Fin
Fra/Rus
Fra/Rus
Rus
Rus
Rus
Rus/Fin
|
Obuhov-made Hotchkiss gun. Maxim 1 Pdr
AA Gun "Pom Pom" made by Obuhov.
McLean
Poole.
Vickers
2 Pdr AA Gun "Pom Pom".
New version used at first on
armoured ships.
Captured
Soviet naval version 21-K of 45 mm AT gun.
Hotchkiss
and Yamanouchi guns, reworked in Finland
to use normal
47 mm ammo instead of short one.
Hotchkiss,
two used by Navy as AA guns.
Obuhov
version of 47/40 H gun, also used by Navy.
Kapioner.
Hotchkiss
guns made by Armstrong.
Nordenfelt
guns made under licence.
Bridgeport;
Nordenfelt type guns reworked in Finland.
Derby.
Hotchkiss.
Canet,
also many other mount versions: Me, M, ML.
Obuhov.
Obuhov, with naval mount, six used
by the Navy.
Putilov,
first AA guns in Finland.
Obuhov
75/50 guns with naval mount, reworked in
Finland to 76 mm AA guns during 1930's.
|
Heavy
Coastal Guns (Raskaat rannikkotykit):
. |
102/60 O
.120/41 A
.
120/45
C
120/45 CLo
120/50
V
120/50 V2
130/50
N
.
152/22
D
152/35
Mk
152/45
C
152/45 CR
152/45 CLo
152/45 CL
152/46
E
152/50
V
155/27
BaMk
.
|
13,6
.12,9
.
18,8
.
18,5
16,5
24
.
7,8
15
20
+20
20
20
12,5
16
12,3
|
-/-/2
.8/6/6
.
2/2/2
3/3/3
-/2/2
1/4/4
-/-/3
.
4/6?/8
14/10?/7
95/76/28
=/=/=
=/=/12
=/=/20
-/7/-
-/2/2
-/4/4
|
Rus
.UK/Jap
/Rus
Rus
Rus/Fin
UK/Rus
UK/Rus
SU/Fin
Rus
Rus
Fra/Rus
Rus
Rus/Fin
Rus
UK
Rus
Fra/Fin
|
Obuhov naval gun, most reworked in
Finland to
105/58 O.Armstrong 4,7" QF Coast Defence
Gun Mk 4.
Canet
guns made under licence by Obuhov.
Lo = new Finnish Lokomo mount.
Vickers
naval gun, single mount,
twin mount, used on ice breakers
during Winter War.
Captured
Soviet naval guns repaired in Finland,
additonal two used by the Navy.
Obuhov
152mm 190 pud. gun on Durlacher mount.
Mk
= sea cannon, Obuhov.
Canet
guns made mainly by Obuhov.
R = high coastal mount.
Lo = new Finnish Lokomo mount.
L = naval mount.
6"
Mk VII Field Gun, wheel carriage.
Vickers
type gun made by Obuhov.
155
K/77 de Bange guns on sea cannon (Mk) mount.
|
Super
Heavy Coastal Guns (Järeät rannikkotykit):
. |
203/45 C
203/50 VC234/50 Be
.
254/45
D
305/52
O
305/52 O2
.
|
25
2825,5
.
27,5
36/+40
41
|
3/1/1
1/1/16/-/6
.
26/17/17
4/2/2
4/4/4
|
Rus
UK/RusUSA/Rus
.
Rus
Rus/Fin
|
Canet model guns made by Obuhov
Vickers gun on Canet mount.9,2"
Bethlehem Steel, in spring 1940 removed
because Hanko Peninsula was ceded to USSR.
Obuhov
guns on Durlacher mount.
Obuhov
guns in single turrets (Örö, -3.40 Ristiniemi).
Two twin turrets (Mäkiluoto,
Kuivasaari).
|
Railway
Guns (Rautatietykit [Raut]):
. |
152/45 CRaut
.180/57 NRaut
.
305/52
ORaut
.
|
20
.37,7
.
52
|
1/2/4
.-/1/4
.
-/-/3
|
Rus/Fin
.SU/Fin
.
SU/Fin
|
Canet. Two more completed by 11.2.1940.
All four guns since 31.7.1941.War booty (Karelian
Isthmus and Hanko 1941),
repaired in Finland.
Obuhov.
War booty (Hanko 1941), repaired in Finland.
|
.
.
Sources: ENQOV1,
PAUJY1, PAUJY3, MIKPO1, TALHI, JATHI
.
.
|