The 28 cm Haubitze L12 was a German heavy howitzer used for coastal defense. It was designed and built by Krupp, with a total of 14 ordnance being built. The development of this heavy artillery piece had begun in the 1890s. During World War I, and II, it was also employed as a siege howitzer.
For coastal defense, the 28 cm Haubitze L12 was set up on a geared round base. This circular base, in turn, was mounted on concrete. It was fitted with an armored shield to protect the gun crew. When it was used as a siege howitzer, it was set up on a turntable, which was attached to a wooden firing platform; to transport it, the 28 cm Haubitze L12 could be disassembled into four parts; the howitzer barrel, the cradle, the turntable, and the firing platform, with each one of them being transported by train on a three-axle trailer.
Specifications
Type: coastal howitzer
Caliber: 283-mm
Barrel Length: L12; 3.39 m (11.2 ft)
Weight: 49.5 tons
Breech Type: horizontal, sliding block
Elevation: from 0 to +70 degrees
Traverse: 360 degrees
Muzzle Velocity: 425 m/s (1,390 ft/s)
Maximum Range: 10.4 km (6.5 miles)
Shell: 345 kg (separate loading)
Below, the 28 cm howitzer near Verdun in 1916, during WW1
