WWI-vintage 28cm Haubitze L/12 siege howitzer engages Soviet fortifications in Sevastopol in 1942

If you would like to support the channel consider visiting The 28cm Haubitze L/12 in Mittelpivotlafette C/92 was a design of the late 19th century initially intended for coastal defense. The theory of operation was a low-velocity howitzer firing a large shell at a high-angle was more likely to destroy an enemy ship by penetrating its thin deck armor than a high-velocity low-angle gun attempting to penetrate its thicker belt armor. The downside was that high-angle fire was harder to aim correctly so more howitzers would be needed to defend an area from attack. However, if the area was constrained by geography like a port at the mouth of a river the navigation channels could be measured ahead of time and firing ranges calculated. In the coastal defense role it was mounted on a large geared circular base that was set in concrete. There was also a 60 mm thick armored dome to protect the gun crew. Recoil forces were absorbed by a combination of the gun cradle