21 cm Mörser 18
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| 21 cm Mörser 18 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | 21 cm Mörser 18 |
| Caption | A 21 cm Mörser 18 in action on the Eastern Front. |
| Type | Heavy howitzer |
| Origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service | 1939–1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Designer | Krupp |
| Design date | 1933–1938 |
| Manufacturer | Krupp, Rheinmetall |
| Production date | 1939–1942 |
| Number | 711 |
| Variants | 21 cm Mörser 18/19 |
| Weight | Travel: 16,700 kg (36,817 lb) |
| Length | 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| Part length | Bore: 6.51 m (L/31) |
| Width | 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.53 m (8 ft 4 in) |
| Crew | 12 |
| Cartridge | Separate-loading, cased charge |
| Caliber | 211 mm (8.31 in) |
| Action | Horizontal sliding-block breech |
| Carriage | Split-trail |
| Elevation | 0° to +70° |
| Traverse | 16° on carriage, 360° on platform |
| Rate of fire | 1 round per 2 minutes |
| Muzzle velocity | 550 m/s (1,804 ft/s) |
| Max range | 16,700 m (18,263 yd) |
| Sights | Panoramic telescope |
21 cm Mörser 18. The 21 cm Mörser 18 was a German heavy howitzer used extensively during World War II. Designed by Krupp to replace older World War I-era siege artillery, it combined a new barrel with a standardized carriage shared with the 17 cm Kanone 18. It served as the principal heavy field howitzer for the German Army, deployed in independent artillery battalions for long-range bombardment and counter-battery fire.
Development and design
The development of the 21 cm Mörser 18 stemmed from a Reichswehr requirement in the late 1920s for a modern heavy artillery piece to succeed weapons like the 21 cm Mörser 16. The design work, led by Krupp in Essen with contributions from Rheinmetall, began in secret to circumvent restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. A key innovation was the use of a standardized two-wheeled carriage, the *Mörserlafette*, which was also employed by the 17 cm Kanone 18; this carriage featured a split-trail design and a detachable firing platform that allowed for full 360-degree traverse. The weapon's horizontal sliding-block breech mechanism and separate-loading ammunition system, using a cased propellant charge, were typical of advanced German artillery of the period. The design was finalized in 1938, with production commencing in 1939 at factories operated by Krupp and Rheinmetall.
Service history
Entering service with the German Army in 1939, the 21 cm Mörser 18 saw its first major combat during the Battle of France in 1940. It was subsequently deployed across all major fronts of World War II, including the Eastern Front against the Red Army, the North African Campaign, and in the defense of Fortress Europe following the Allied invasion of Normandy. The howitzer was organized into independent heavy artillery battalions (*schwere Artillerie-Abteilungen*), often attached at the Corps or Army level to provide long-range fire support against fortified positions, troop concentrations, and for counter-battery missions. Its significant weight and complexity required specialized Sd.Kfz. 8 heavy half-track prime movers for transport, limiting its strategic mobility. Despite being gradually supplemented by more powerful weapons like the 21 cm Mörser 16/19, it remained in use until the end of the war, including during final defensive battles like the Battle of Berlin.
Variants
The primary variant was the **21 cm Mörser 18/19**, which involved fitting the newer, longer Mörser 18 barrel onto the older, simpler carriage of the 21 cm Mörser 16. This hybrid was a field expedient to increase the range and effectiveness of the older carriage system still in inventory. No other major production variants were created, though experimental work on ammunition, including potential rocket-assisted projectiles, was conducted. The standardized *Mörserlafette* carriage itself was a key component, shared without major modification with its sibling piece, the 17 cm Kanone 18.
Specifications
* **Caliber:** 211 mm (8.31 in) * **Barrel Length:** 6.51 m (L/31) * **Weight (Traveling):** 16,700 kg (36,817 lb) * **Carriage:** Split-trail on a 360° firing platform * **Elevation:** 0° to +70° * **Traverse:** 16° on carriage, 360° on platform * **Muzzle Velocity:** 550 m/s (1,804 ft/s) * **Maximum Range:** 16,700 m (18,263 yd) with standard high-explosive shell * **Crew:** 12 * **Rate of Fire:** Approximately 1 round every 2 minutes * **Ammunition:** Separate-loading; projectile types included high-explosive, armor-piercing, and concrete-piercing shells.
Operators
The sole primary operator was Nazi Germany. Captured examples may have been evaluated or used in limited numbers by Allied forces, including the Red Army and the United States Army, but there is no evidence of formal adoption or sustained use by any other nation's military during the war. Post-war, some were likely taken as war trophies or for technical analysis by the Soviet Union, the United States, and other victorious powers.
Category:World War II artillery of Germany Category:Heavy howitzers Category:210 mm artillery