Artillery of German Army in June 1941

[MG70]

Hi,
could someone tell me which types and (possibly) the number of guns
and howitzers were in service in the German Army at the beginning of
Operation Barbarossa (22.06.41)?

Thanks in advance.

Rgds,

Mauro

[Ron Klages]

Mauro,

I just noticed your question and here is what I have as what was authorized by unit. The actual number could be different as you are probably aware. For example the number of authorized StuG IIIs was 301 but the units only had 293. I am sure that was also the case with the artillery equipment. The (E) on certain guns are the railway guns where the (t) represents Czech guns.

Hope this data helps.
best regards

Ron Klages


GERMAN ARTILLERY ON 21 JUNE 1941

There are 11 columns for each type of gun so here are the headings for the columns. The number in the bracket represents the number of that type of unit.

Gun
PzDiv [21]
ID (mot)[10]
SS [7] Div
Mtn Div [6]
Lt. Div [4]
Sec. Div [9]
Kav. Div[1]
Inf Div[147]
Heeres Truppen
Total

15cm sIG33 auf Pz. I= 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 =36
15cm sIG33 towed =78 46 36 0 0 10 0 612 0 =782
7.5cm leIG towed= 352 152 106 0 0 56 16 1908 4=2594
10.5cm leFH18 towed= 492 252 132 48 80 108 12 4692 56=5872
10cm K18 towed= 28 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 390=442
15cm sFH 18 towed = 212 96 60 36 32 0 0 1224 520=2180
StuG III mit 7.5ck kurtz =0 14 21 0 0 0 0 0 266=301
10cm K18 auf Pz. IV= 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2=2
60cm Mörser Karl= 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4=4
10.5cm GebH 40 towed=0 0 24 96 0 0 0 0 0=120
15cm SkC/28=0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 =9
15cm K39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 =24
21cm K39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 =12
21cm M18 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 207 =207
24cm H39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 =12
24cm K3 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
24cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
30.5cm M(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 =16
35.5cm M1 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 =1
15cm Nebelwerfer 41 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 270=270
10.5cm Nebelwerfer 35 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 126=126
7.5cm Geb G36 =0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 =16
7.5cm Geb K15 =0 0 0 64 0 0 0 0 0=64
15.5cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 420 0 =420
10.5cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 216 0 =216
7.5cm leFK18 =0 0 0 0 0 0 36 0 0 =36
15cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 =2
17cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
21cm K12 (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 =1
24cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
28cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 =17
TOTAL = 1198 584 379 260 112 174 64 9072 1963=13806

[MG70]

Hi Ron,

thanks for the answer.
Still a questions.
Have you any data for anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery in service in
the same period?

Rgds,

Mauro

[sante]

Hi there! I'm interested too. In a previous message (on may 11) I asked about the use of the 210mm Langer Morser during WW II. Now I know that it was used till 1942, when it was replaced with the 210mm Morser K18. Do you know something about this?

Thanks, Sante

Mauro,

I just noticed your question and here is what I have as what was authorized by unit. The actual number could be different as you are probably aware. For example the number of authorized StuG IIIs was 301 but the units only had 293. I am sure that was also the case with the artillery equipment. The (E) on certain guns are the railway guns where the (t) represents Czech guns.

Hope this data helps.
best regards

Ron Klages


GERMAN ARTILLERY ON 21 JUNE 1941

There are 11 columns for each type of gun so here are the headings for the columns. The number in the bracket represents the number of that type of unit.

Gun
PzDiv [21]
ID (mot)[10]
SS [7] Div
Mtn Div [6]
Lt. Div [4]
Sec. Div [9]
Kav. Div[1]
Inf Div[147]
Heeres Truppen
Total

15cm sIG33 auf Pz. I= 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 =36
15cm sIG33 towed =78 46 36 0 0 10 0 612 0 =782
7.5cm leIG towed= 352 152 106 0 0 56 16 1908 4=2594
10.5cm leFH18 towed= 492 252 132 48 80 108 12 4692 56=5872
10cm K18 towed= 28 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 390=442
15cm sFH 18 towed = 212 96 60 36 32 0 0 1224 520=2180
StuG III mit 7.5ck kurtz =0 14 21 0 0 0 0 0 266=301
10cm K18 auf Pz. IV= 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2=2
60cm Mörser Karl= 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4=4
10.5cm GebH 40 towed=0 0 24 96 0 0 0 0 0=120
15cm SkC/28=0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 =9
15cm K39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 =24
21cm K39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 =12
21cm M18 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 207 =207
24cm H39 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 =12
24cm K3 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
24cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
30.5cm M(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 =16
35.5cm M1 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 =1
15cm Nebelwerfer 41 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 270=270
10.5cm Nebelwerfer 35 =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 126=126
7.5cm Geb G36 =0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 =16
7.5cm Geb K15 =0 0 0 64 0 0 0 0 0=64
15.5cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 420 0 =420
10.5cm K(t) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 216 0 =216
7.5cm leFK18 =0 0 0 0 0 0 36 0 0 =36
15cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 =2
17cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
21cm K12 (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 =1
24cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 =6
28cm K (E) =0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 =17
TOTAL = 1198 584 379 260 112 174 64 9072 1963=13806

[Kelvin]

Did German actually use K-5 for Russian campaign ?

[ljadw]

Kelvin,if you mean 5cm KWK,yes;Schustereit gives 86 of them lost on 31 december 1941.

[Paulus II]

HI ljadw

The K-5 was a 28cm railway gun and was indeed used in Russia:



Best regards,

Paul

[ljadw]

I will have to hide in a corner .
But from 'World war II Zone Forums' German Artillery (I you don't know it,it is very interesting :Tom Houligan is giving all types of German Artillery )there were 4 sorts of 28 cm guns:
28 cm Kanone in Eisenbahnlafette 'lange Bruno' 2 built
28 cm Kanone in Eisenbahnlafette 'Bruno neue ' 3 built
28 cm Kanone 5 in Eisenbahnlafette 28 built and delivered
28 cm Kanone in Eisenbahnlafette 'Schwere Bruno' 2 built
I think the difference between them was the maximum range .

[Paulus II]

Never hide in a corner ljadw! We all make mistakes.

I know the WW2 Zone forum but haven't been there in a long while, I'll hop over and see what Tom has produced on the Eisenbahngeschütze.
But I can tell you now he has forgotten one 28cm gun. Apart from the Lange Bruno, Neue Bruno, Schwere Bruno and K-5 that you cite in your post there was also the 28cm Kanone (E) Kurze Bruno.

The difference between them was much more than just the range though!
When Germany decided to add railway guns to its inventory they started designing new guns but since the design and production of new weapons takes a long time it was also decided to initiate the Sofort Program (immediate program) by which old naval guns, mostly dating back to (before) WW I were mounted on railwaycarriages. The K-5 guns were newly designed while the Bruno guns were the old naval artillery. (Taking a bit of a shortcut here, there is more to it but I havent the time right now)

Also worth mentioning is the use of captured French railguns. Though none were 28 cm calibre the 27,4cm and 29,3cm guns are close enough and both these types were used by the Wehrmacht.

Best regards,

Paul

[Kelvin]

K-5 were also used to bombard the allied landing sites at Anzio in Jan 1944 and was very effective.