24 cm Kanone 3

24 cm Kanone 3
A K 3 in the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung Koblenz
TypeHeavy Siege Gun
Place of originGermany
Service history
In service1939–45
Used byNazi Germany
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerRheinmetall
Designed1935–38
ManufacturerKrupp
Produced1938–44
No. built14+
Specifications
Mass54,866 kg (120,959 lb)
Barrel length13.102 m (40 ft)

Shell weight151.4 kg (334 lb) (HE)
Caliber238 millimetres (9.4 in)
Breechhorizontal sliding-block
Recoildual-recoil hydro-pneumatic
CarriageBox trail
Elevation0° to +56°
Traverse6° on carriage
360° on platform
Rate of fire1 rd per 4–5 min
Muzzle velocity970 m/s (3,182 ft/s)
Maximum firing range37 km (23 mi)

The 24-cm-Kanone 3 (24 cm K 3) was a German heavy siege gun used in the Second World War by the first battalion of Artillerie-Regiment 84. Four were in service when Germany invaded Poland, assigned to the first two batteries of I./AR 84,[1] and in the Battle of France.[2] By Operation Barbarossa all three batteries were equipped with two guns apiece.[3] This situation did not change for the next two years.[4]

  1. ^ Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 1/III: Higher Headquarters - GHQ Units - Static Units (1.09.1939), 2004, p. 39
  2. ^ Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 2/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (10 May 1940), 1990, p. 28
  3. ^ Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 3/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (22nd June 1941), 1992, p. 27
  4. ^ Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 4/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (28th June 1942), 2004, p. 25 and German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 5/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (4 July 1943), 2005, p. 44