Škoda 10 cm vz. 38 howitzer

Škoda 10 cm vz. 38
Mock up of a Škoda 10 cm vz. 38 howitzer N-D-S 75 at fortress Dobrošov near Náchod
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Designed	1935
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1938
No. built	15
Specifications
Length	3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
Barrel length	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Crew	2
Shell	Fixed QF ammunition
Shell weight	16 kg (35 lb)
Caliber	100 mm (3.9 in)
Breech	Semi-automatic vertical sliding breech block
Carriage	Single mount casemates
Elevation	-10° to +38°
Traverse	Early mounts: -22.3° to +22.3° Later mounts: -30° to +30°
Rate of fire	7 rpm
Muzzle velocity	525 m/s (1,720 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	12 km (7.5 mi)

The Škoda 10 cm vz. 38 was a light howitzer deployed in single gun defensive casemates in the Czechoslovak border fortifications before World War II.

History

The Škoda 10 cm vz. 38 was developed and built by Škoda Works in Plzeň. Development of the howitzer began in March 1935 after an order was placed by the Czechoslovak Department of National Defense. The design was based on an existing field howitzer the 10 cm vz. 30. The howitzer was put into production during 1938 and fifteen were completed but never deployed to the Czechoslovak border fortifications. After occupation Czechoslovakia by Germany in 1939, the howitzers were seized and allegedly used by the German Army. After World War II all fifteen howitzers were scrapped. Today two wood and metal mock ups of the howitzers are housed in the museum of artillery at Dobrošov fort near Náchod. The mock ups were acquired in 1973 from the museum of artillery at Hanička fort and used as props in the filming of Days of Betrayal by director Otakar Vávra.

References