There is another survivor Mortier 220mm Schneider TR in Argentina.
It is located in the gardens of the Colegio Militar de la Nación.
Prof. German Carrillo Noble gave me some great pictures of this "monster" and authorized me to show them.
As you can see is a Mle1915, and is identified by its wheels with steel rim and only 12 wheel spokes (according to what is indicated in the note “Mortier de 220mm TR modèles 1915 et 1916 Schneider” by Charlie Clelland, - Landships II.)
On the same page it explains that in 1928 was added a muzzle brake as you see in these pictures and corresponds to the date of delivery of the mortar to Argentina
In the engraving can be read Mro / 22 L.10,35.SCHNEIDER Modelo Argentino 1928. Nº1
By the date be deduced that was part the contract of the Argentine Government with the Schneider factory for family of weapons, from a 75mm mountain gun, until guns and howitzers of 105 and 155mm.
Was said to be part of the weapons delivered as a sample, since it is one of the Schneider that was not modified and updated, as they did with to the rest of the delivered.
Is placed on a portable platform that is located under the wheels so that it is not buryto shoot it, andahead the shield has a jigger of service
This mortar also not appeared in the two middle pages of the book mentioned by a disoriented forum user.
Until 1959 appears in the lists of material in service in the Argentine Army
For me, there is no problem in using the pictures, and there is no problem by Professor Carrillo Noble, so they are at your disposal.
Indeed, the platform was used for correcting angle to direction. But it was not a conventional platform because in the center has a window that allows to the recoil guide of the barrel reaches an almost vertical position.
Looking at the photos I have, could describe this platform as a horseshoe whose diameter is smaller than the distance between the wheels, ie when the mortar pointing, the wheels move outside the platform
It is likely that a part is missing because now the mortar is not linked to the platform in any way (which would prevent transmitting the recoil at the ground, and than would totally useless)
Since in this form, is not used for to aim or to help disperse the load at the time of shooting
It is likely that large corrections in direction are made in a similar way to the "Dicke Berta" M-Gerät 42, ie moving the box carriage from behind to turn the mortar, so a wheel rotates forward and the other backward
Remember a howitzer or mortar which uses a similar system ???
Sample files Schneider : "Présentation de différents matériels d'artillerie au polygone d'Harfleur"
where the system is armed with a brick track where it is moved by a lever with a small wheel, the rear of the gun carriage.
Although I have knowledge of the operation the others Schneider, because when I did the courses to officer were still in service, this particular model is very little known. The reduced option of carrying (by weight and volume) held him at Campo de Mayo (Buenos Aires).
The center of rotation of the traverse turntable that the howitzer British 25 Pounder used is the center of the platform and joined to the carriage, so that it is used to correct large angles in direction, and then adjusted with correcting the steering mechanisms that move the overcarriage.
In the case of mortar Schneider, can not bejoinedto the gun carriage because as in all boxtrail Schneider, for the fine adjustmentwas done moving to the carriage over the axis of the wheels
The only possible way to make it work would attach the platform with the wheels and to leave work the direction system that had the mortar.
I have a question.. As I posted elsewhere, the Spanish Blue Division (No. 250 in the Wehrmach ) was a volunteer force that fought in the Eastern Front in the Leningrad sector. This unit was given some captured Schneider 220 mm mortars.. I wonder if th one shown in your photo could be one of the ones left behind, by the S[anish troops when the Wehrmacht retreated? Any chance of finding this out?
Here are a couple of pics of the Schneider 220 L10,8 mod. 1928 preserved at the Colegio Militar de la Nación (the Argentine Army Military Academy)photographed by a friend who teaches at that institution Cheers!
The Schneider 220 mm mortar was issued to an Experimental Unit in the Argentine Army and tested in maneuvers. This is recorded and verified by photos. Not verified by evidence, however is a statement made by some English journalist in a book about Peron, in which he claims he 220 mm mortar was used to quell an insurrection that occurred on 28 September 1951,. According to this source, 40-50 rounds of 220mm shells were fired tat the Air Force base in Moron. Unsubstantiated by eyewitnesses. In Any Even, here's a photo taken from a book in my collection. It's part of a seven volume set issued by the Argentine Government: Obra de Gobierno: 1932-38" (Ejército-Ferrocarriles del Estado It is rather well illustrated, and the pictures in the artillery section seem to stem from Schneider originals. By the way, the color photos of this artillery piece were part of a set taken by an old friend of mine who taught at the Colegio Militar de la Nación, Dr. Julio H. Rubés..
-- Edited by Brunner88 on Monday 23rd of January 2017 08:18:51 PM
The technical specs for the 220 mm Mortar, sent many years ago ny Herr Franza Kosar:He indicated that the data came froma Schneider catalogue) in respose to my letter enclosing the previous photo of this artillery piece.
Caliber: 220 mm
Barrel: 10(sic)
Traverse: 4o in carriage, 60o in platform
Shell : 103 kilograms
Explosive charge: 22,865 kg.
Muzzle velocity 415 m/sec
Height of barrel above ground1,9 meters
Diameter of Wheels : 1,5 m
Weigh, in firing position: 8.00 kg
Maximum Range: 11.200
Weight in firing position
On carriage: 8.000 kg.
On Platform: 10.200 kg.
Transport: 1 three (3) loads
Barrel:5.000 kg.
Carriega:5.780 kg.
Platform: 4.500 kg.
Transport, in one load: 8.700 kg.
Contrary to some opinions, the weight was not a factor here: for the Argentine Army possessed a larger number of Schneider 155 L.30,87 mod. 1928 cannon that were roughly in the same weight category as the 220 mm piece. The 155 mod. 1928 weighed 8.140 kilos, and there were sufficient heavy prime movers in the Army (Thornycroft Tartar and Amazon 6 x 6, and the very powerful HAFDASA "Criollo" 6 x 6 ...
I wrote (via ordinary mail) to a friend who until recently headed the Historical Commission of the Argentine Army, just to be informed that he now suffers from Alzheimers. Another veteran of those days,, and one of the few surviving crew members of the Nahuel tank unit, ( as a young Sub-Liuetenant he was ta tank commander) just passed away....R.I.P.
-- Edited by Brunner88 on Tuesday 24th of January 2017 09:25:29 PM