The 30.5 cm M1911 Mörser (Schlanke Emma) was a 305-mm siege howitzer used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I, specially during the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia in 1915. Produced by the Czech firm Skoda, it was also fielded by the Imperial German Army in the reduction of the Belgian forts during the 1914 offensive. During World War II, also the Wehrmacht would employ this heavy howitzer during the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and also during the siege of Sevastopol in Crimea in the 1942 military campaign.
Nicknamed 'Schlanke Emma', this 305-mm siege howitzer was transported to the battlefield in three pieces either by road (by the Austro-Daimler M12 tractor) or by train. Despite its heavy weight of 20.8 metric tons, it could be quickly assembled in 45 minutes. The barrel-containing cradle was mounted on a rotating steel base. It was equipped with a pair of recoil cylinders and an elevating wheel, which gave the 30.5 cm Mörser a maximum elevation of +75 degrees. It fired 384-kg concrete-piercing shells and had a maximum effective range of 9,700 m. In 1939, a four-wheel transport cart was designed and built to be towed by truck.
Specifications
Type: heavy siege howitzer
Caliber: 305-mm
Weight: 20,830 kg (20.8 tons)
Barrel Length: 3 m (10 feet), L/10
Breech Type: horizontal sliding block
Elevation: 0 to +75 degrees
Traverse: 120 degrees
Muzzle Velocity: 340 m/s
Rate of Fire: 12 rounds per hour
Maximum Firing Range: 11,300 m (12,400 yards)
Crew: 17
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| Above, the 305-mm siege howitzer mounted on its steel platform. |
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| A schematic picture showing its different parts. |
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| Above, the Schlanke Emma on its transport cart. |
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