Skoda 76.5mm kanon vz. 30

76.5mm Towed Field Gun [ 1930 ]

Introduced in 1930, Czech Skoda 8cm vz. 30 guns were reconstituted by the German Army as the 8cm FK 30t.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/10/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Second only to Krupp of Germany, Skoda Works of the Austro-Hungarian empire proved itself an instrumental participant in artillery gun design and production for various European powers of the late19th and early 20th centuries. The famous Skoda Works in Pilsen then fell within the borders of newly-established Czechoslovakia following the close of World War 1 (1914-1918) - which also witnessed the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The facility went on to benefit Czech military industry and economy immensely during the lead-up to World War 2 (1939-1945).

After The Great War concluded in late 1918, there was a glut of readily-available war-making material in the global marketplace. This forced Skoda to turn to new ideas to help sell products to global armies still reeling from the effects of a massive worldwide military drawdown. In the late 1920s, work began a new niche weapon intended as a multi-role solution covering general field gun use, mountain operations, and anti-aircraft support. The end result produced two distinct versions of gun - a 75mm field gun form as the "75mm kanon vz 28" and a 100mm howitzer mountain form as the "100mm houfnice vz 28". Both were developed with anti-aircraft capabilities in mind by having a barrel elevation function of +80 degrees. By all other qualities, the weapon systems were highly conventional, featuring twin-wheeled carriages for towing and breech-loading hardware for quick reloading. For full 360-degree traversal, a turntable could be set under the guns to help them rotate in place.©MilitaryFactory.com

The weapons were quickly taken on by the forces of Romania and Yugoslavia through export. By this time, the anti-aircraft function was a less marketed quality for the weapons held little value in that role. Instead, their transportability and field function were the proven qualities going forward.

The local Czech Army thought enough of the two designs to adopt them in 1930 so the original 75mm field guns were modified to the 76.5mm caliber while the 100mm howitzers were given slightly modified carriages featuring new rubber tires. The field gun became the "76.5mm kanon vz 30" and the howitzer was designated as the '100mm houfnice vz 30".

Despite the clear tactical value of the weapons, they were not used in anger at any point prior to the German takeover of Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s. The rapidly changing European landscape suddenly found the Skoda Works under German control and existing stocks of these effective guns were quickly made German Army property - producing the "7.65mm FK30(t)" designation for the field guns and the "10cm leFH 30(t)" designation for the howitzers. From then on, Skoda was to supply any new guns, ammunition, and related components solely for German Army consumption.

In German hands, the weapons proved themselves excellent artillery pieces and were used in both offensive and defensive roles when possible during World War 2. The guns soldiered on throughout the war which ended in 1945. A collection of these artillery pieces were showcased along Hitler's fabled "Atlantic Wall" defensive line protecting the northern approaches of France against an amphibious attack from the English Channel. Despite never being officially used to engage low-flying aircraft (its rate-of-fire was much too slow and its accuracy against moving targets quite poor), the elevation capability of the barrel made it an effective gun in mountain warfare.©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.

Specifications

Skoda Works - Czechoslovakia
Manufacturer(s)

Czechoslovakia; Nazi Germany
Operators

1930
Service Year

Czechoslovakia
National Origin

6
Crew

1,000
Units

FIRE SUPPORT / ASSAULT / BREACHING
Support allied forces through direct / in-direct fire, assault forward positions, and / or breach fortified areas of the battlefield.

11.2 ft
(3.4 meters)
Length

4,001 lb
(1,815 kg)
Weight

2.0 tons
(Light-class)
Tonnage

None. This is a towed artillery piece.
Drive System

8 miles
(14 km)
Road Range

1 x 76.5mm gun barrel

AMMUNITION
Dependent upon ammunition carrier.

8cm kanon vz. 30 - Base Series Designation in Czech Army service.

8cm FK30(t) - German Army designation

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 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

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 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. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

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

Land Systems / Battlefield

Skoda 76.5mm kanon vz. 30

76.5mm Towed Field Gun [ 1930 ]

Introduced in 1930, Czech Skoda 8cm vz. 30 guns were reconstituted by the German Army as the 8cm FK 30t.

Specifications