×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Infantry Arms Warships & Submarines Military Pay Chart (2023) Military Ranks
Advertisements
HOME
ARMOR
MODERN ARMIES
COUNTRIES
MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE
BY CONFLICT
BY TYPE
BY DECADE
WORLD WAR 1
WORLD WAR 2
Land Systems / Battlefield

30.5cm Belagerungsmorser (Schlanke Emma)


Heavy Siege Mortar / Heavy Artillery [ 1911 ]



The Austro-Hungarian Empire made deadly use of their large collection of Schlanke Emma heavy mortars.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/23/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Advertisements
While much of the heavy artillery fanfare of World War 1 (1914-1918) goes to the German Empire's "Big Bertha" and similar heavy developments, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire itself produced a mammoth siege mortar as the 30.5cm (305mm/12in) Belagerungsmorser through the Skodawerke ("Skoda Works") concern. The gun was best recognized by its nickname - the "Schlanke Emma" ("Skinny Emma"). Their first combat exposure (coincidentally along with Big Berthas) was in Belgium at Liege against the supposedly impenetrable concrete-and-steel fortresses of the Belgian Army. This action took place on August 14th, 1914 and inevitably turned the Belgian fortresses into unrecognizable piles within just four days of heavy bombardment.

Schlanke Emma guns entered development in 1906 and persisted into 1911 before formal Austro-Hungarian Army adoption was to take place. The need for larger-caliber siege guns was pressed home by observed results of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 - in particular the famous Siege of Port Arthur (1904) which saw a resounding Japanese victory through the sinking of all Russian Navy capital ships in port under the force of German-originated Krupp heavy guns fired from land-based positions by the Japanese. This action forced a rethinking on the part of warplanners of the period, primarily where heavy artillery and siege warfare would be involved.

Production of the Schlanke Emma spanned from 1911 to the end of World War 1 in 1918 (November) to which 72 to 79 of the guns were completed (sources vary). Each system required a large team of 15 to 17 personnel to manage the various aiming, loading, reloading and transport functions of the weapon. The barrel measured 3.05 meters in length (rendered as "L/10" in army nomenclature) and of 30.5cm caliber firing massive 305mm shells down range. The barrel allowed for an elevation range of +40 to +70 degrees and reloading proved a time consuming process, allowing just one shot roughly every 3.5 minutes or so. The gun was mounted on the same carriage as used by the Austro-Hungarian Army's 24cm (240mm) L/40 cannon of 1916 - this also produced by Skoda.

The Schlanke Emma fired an 848lb (385kg) projectile made of nickel steel and proved extremely useful against hardened targets. A special "anti-infantry grenade" projectile was used against entrenched enemies and this version was also provided in a "lighter" 632lb (287kg) version. Soft targets could be engaged through the "Granatschrapnell" ("Grenade Shrapnel") round for an increasingly lethal effect on infantry, both physically and psychologically. These projectiles weighed 660lbs (300kg) and were completed with internal proximity fuses for timed results. The Schalnke Emma series featured muzzle velocities of 1,476 feet per second with ranges out to 7.6 miles (12.3km). Each completed system weighed 26 tons requiring use of artillery tractors for transport.

The Schlanke Emma was given military designations of M11, M11/16 and M16 throughout its war service. The M11/16 was a simpler design intended to improve mobility through a slightly lightened (25 tons) form. This variant was promptly introduced in 1916. The M16 was a heavily revised (and lightened) version of the M11, also introduced in 1916, with a new mounting system which allowed for 360-degree traversal to be achieved (through a central pivoting design). However, production of the 23-ton model totaled just 14 examples by war's end. During the war years, original guns (M11 / M11/16) were transported via the M12 artillery tractor while the later (M16) version was transported via the M17 tractor series. These heavy guns could also be affixed to stationary mountings for a more defensive-minded role.

After World War 1, surplus stocks of Schlanke Emma guns were taken on by Czechoslovakia (as the "30.5cm Mortar (t)") and Yugoslavia (as the "30.5cm Mortar 638(j)"), both nations having emerged from the Austro-Hungarian Empire's collapse. Captured Czech examples were then pressed into service for the German Army during World War 2 (1939-1945) and at least one example was present at the attacks against the famed French Maginot Line in June 1940. Still others were operated by German forces during the Siege of Sevastopol and Leningrad against the Soviet Union thereafter.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Advertisements

Specifications



Service Year
1911

Origin
Austria-Hungary national flag graphic
Austria-Hungary

Crew
15 to 17
CREWMEN
Production
79
UNITS


Skoda Works - Austria-Hungary
(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Austria National flag of the Austro-Hungarian Empire National flag of Czechia National flag of modern Germany National flag of Nazi Germany National flag of Hungary National flag of Yugoslavia Austria-Hungary; Czechoslovakia; Nazi Germany; Yugoslavia
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Fire Support / Assault / Breaching
Support allied forces through direct / in-direct fire, assault forward positions, and / or breach fortified areas of the battlefield.


Length
10.0 ft
3.05 m
Weight
51,998 lb
23,586 kg
Tonnage
26.0 tons
MEDIUM
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base 30.5cm Belagerungsmorser (Schlanke Emma) production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
1 x 30.5cm (305mm/12in) L/10 gun barrel


Supported Types


Graphical image of an artillery gun tube/barrel


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
Dependent upon ammunition carrier. Shells include hard, soft and anti-infantry shrapnel types.


M11 - Original 26-ton model of 1911
M11/16 - Revised, 25-ton model of 1916 for improved mobility.
M16 - Revised 23-ton model of 1916 with new 360-degree central pivoting design.
30.5cm Mortar(t) - Czech Army designation in post-war years.
30.5cm Mortar 638(j) - Yugoslavian Army designation in post-war years.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 1
Image of the 30.5cm Belagerungsmorser (Schlanke Emma)


Advertisements




Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies


2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)