Range: 25 to 600 metres, charge 25 kg of explosives, cheap and easy to manufacture, easy to move about, using the same basic ammo as various earth mortars. There also were bigger versions with 35 and 45 cm diametre, with charges of 40 and 117 kg respectively. Nice improvised piece, not very accurate, but ugly when it hit you.
Good luck in scratch-building one of these. The amount of work that goes into one is more than you would expect from looking at it. It is indeed very flimsy and the different parts tend to break when touched...
Thanks! But to tell you the truth, I am not that satisfied with the result. I think I should have painted the sandbags a lighter shade. Now there is almost no contrast as the vignette is almost uniformly dark brown.
Although from time to time I make moulds, this is strictly for personal use. My casting quality isn't that good. I used to make masters as well, but nowadays I just model for fun, when I can spare the time, that is...
For the observant under you, my model is not the 25 cm but the 35 cm version. Enclosed you will find these drawings as well. I haven't come round to doing the 45cm version.