| 17 cm Kanone 18 in Mörserlafette | |
|---|---|
 17 cm K 18 in MrsLaf at the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum. | |
| Type | Heavy gun |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1941–45 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Krupp (until 1942), Hanomag |
| Produced | 1941–45 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | combat: 17,520 kg (38,625 lbs) travel: 23,375 kg (51,533 lbs) |
| Length | 8.53 m (28 ft) |
| Caliber | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Breech | horizontal block |
| Elevation | -6°to +50° |
| Traverse | 16° on wheels 360° on platform |
| Muzzle velocity | 925 m/s (3,035 ft/s) |
| Maximum range | 29.6 km (18.4 mi) |
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The 17 cm Kanone 18 in Mörserlafette (German: Heavy Howitzer Carriage) (17 cm K 18 in MrsLaf) was a German heavy gun used in the Second World War. It was intended to be employed at the Corps level in order to provide long-range counter-battery support. It filled the same basic role as the 21 cm Mörser 18 as well as sharing its carriage, and replaced it entirely after 1942. Although it was technically an excellent weapon, it was expensive, difficult to maneuver, and very slow to set up and tear down; many were lost when their crews abandoned them to avoid capture by advancing Allied forces.
References
- Engelmann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. Deutsche Artillerie 1934-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliederung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz. Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974
- Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945. New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3
- Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X
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