MöRSER KARL

'Mörser „Karl“ (Gerät 040/041)' was a series of 60cm mortars designed to take out heavily fortified positions. They were build in Germany before Second World War.

Contents

History

Useage

Literature

External links

History

The ''Karl (Gerät 040)'' series of mortars were built by at Rheinmetall before and during the Second World War, designed to take out heavily fortified positions. The 124 ton vehicle moved on treads, but mostly for aiming as the engines provided very slow speed for huge fuel consumption; thus transporting was done by hanging the whole chassis between two huge railway bogies.
In total, six Karl-class guns were manufactured. These guns had the names Adam, Eva (1st Batt.), Thor, Odin (2nd Batt.), Loki, and Ziu. The self-propelled version of the 60cm siege mortar was ordered in June 1937. General Karl Becker (general) of the Artillery was involved in the development, (explaining where the huge mortar gained it's nickname). The driving trials were held at Unterlüss in May 1940. Delivery of the six production vehicles took place from November 1940 to August 1941. In February 1941, discussions commenced concerning increasing the range of the weapon, and in May 1942, 54cm barrels (Gerät 041) were ordered for the six vehicles. At a conference with Hitler in March 1943 it was stated that the first 54cm Gerät 041 would be delivered by June 1943, and the third, by mid-August. The 60cm and 54cm barrels appear to have been interchanged as required. In 1945, "Karl II (Eva)" as well as "Karl V (Loki)" were captured By US forces.

Useage

At first the Mörser Karl was developed for use in the campaign against France's Maginot line, but as France had surrendered after the fortifications were bypassed, it was put to use for the first time on the Russian front against the Brest Fortress in 1941. It also saw action in the siege of Sevastopol in 1942. One mortar (''Ziu'') was employed against the Warsaw Uprising in 1944.
The Mörser Karl had a range of 6,800m (4.22 miles) at best. To extend the range, a gun barrel of 54 cm calibre and 7.1 m in length was manufactured. Three Karls were equipped with it instead of the 60 cm calibre gun to become the 54 cm Mörser, designated Gerät 041, with a longer range of 10,400 m. The ammunition for these monster guns weighed about 2 tons apiece depending on the specific ammunition type. The guns usually worked in pairs and three modified Panzer IV chassis vehicles were outfitted with special cranes as 'Munitionsträger' support loaders, one for each battalion.
Due to its huge size and concomitant difficulty of use, its effect on the outcome of the war was probably minimal, but it undoubtedly had a marked psychological impact on those at the receiving end of its shells.

Literature

★ Gerhard Taube: ''Die schwersten Steilfeuer–Geschütze 1914 - 1945. Geheimwaffen 'Dicke Berta' und 'Karl', Motorbuch-Verlag, ISBN 3-87943-811-0

External links

★ Gerät 040 and Gerät 041 - History

★ Mörser Karl overview

★ Technical parameters