{"id":50881,"date":"2023-03-19T23:14:46","date_gmt":"2023-03-19T22:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=50881"},"modified":"2024-03-19T00:05:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T23:05:31","slug":"the-bunkers-of-the-lange-max-a-huge-german-cannon-from-the-world-war-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2023\/03\/19\/the-bunkers-of-the-lange-max-a-huge-german-cannon-from-the-world-war-i\/","title":{"rendered":"The bunkers of the 'Lange Max', a huge German cannon from the World War I"},"content":{"rendered":"

Artillery experienced a golden age in the First World War (1914-1918), during which very large caliber cannons were made.<\/p>\n

A labyrinthine fortress that witnessed a brutal battle of the World War I<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe curious German bunkers named after animals built in France in 1918<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

One such gun was the 38 cm SK L\/45, nicknamed \"Lange Max\" (Long Max).<\/strong> It was initially designed as a naval gun for the four German Bayern-class battleships, each of which was equipped with eight guns of this type in four turrets with two guns each. It was manufactured by the German company Krupp, it weighed 267 tons, the barrel of the gun was 16 meters long and had a maximum range of almost 48 kilometers.<\/strong> Its most lethal projectiles weighed 750 kg, carried a warhead with 67 kg of high explosive and could reach a distance of 38 kilometers.<\/p>\n

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A Lange Max at the Pommern Battery in German-occupied France during World War II (Photo: United States Army Ordnance Department).<\/div>\n

These cannons were used on dry land as well,<\/strong> placing them on huge railway wagons and also in semi-circular artillery pits. Its shots were the first fired by German artillery at the Battle of Verdun<\/strong> In 1917, the Lange Max was one of the largest guns in the world.<\/p>\n

This Sunday, the channel Simply Adventure<\/a> has published an interesting video showing one of these cannons<\/strong>, which is preserved near the battlefield of Verdun, in northern France. This Lange Max has a sealed bore but is in very good condition. The video also shows the shelled shaft and the bunkers through which ammunition was supplied to the cannon<\/strong> (the video is in German, but it has English subtitles, you can activate them in the bottom bar of the player):<\/p>\n