10,5 cm. leichte Feld Haubitze (l.F.H.) 1898/09

Undergoing Restoration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above:  The German 10,5cm lFH 1898/09 carriage sandblasted with a covering of Ospho 

Above:  A view of the 10,5cm lFH 98/09 axel tree seats after sandblasting

Above:  The 10,5cm lFH 98/09 spade now working again and sandblasted.  The spade locks into place using a fairly complicated cam system.  There was more work involved here that you would expect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above:  The German 10,5cm lFH 1898/09 barrel and recoil cradle separated from one another

Below:  A closer view of the recoil cradle

Below:  A closer view of the 10,5cm lFH 98/09 barrel

Below:  Using a 300 ton horizontal press to push the barrel out of the recoil cradle

Below:  View of the howitzer after releasing the “Jesus Bolt”, allowing the hydro-spring recoil mechanism to fly forward.  There was a lot of energy with this.  Notice the trash can knocked over beside the recoil system

Below:  Ralph Lovett with the barrel and recoil cradle just after removing the hydro-spring recoil mechanism

Below:  The “Jesus Bolt” that holds the recoil mechanism together with the barrel

Below:  A front view of the 10,5cm lFH 98/09 breech block

Below:  A back view of the 10,5cm lFH 98/09 breech block

 

Above: The carriage for the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1898/09. This is a box trail with a shield, intended for use with a recoil system. The carriage was used again with the 7,7cm. l.F.K. 1916 and the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1916

Above: Rear view of the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 98/09 with incorrect wheels. We have the correct wheels but have not fitted them to the howitzer yet

Above: Barrel and recoil group for the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1898/09

Like the 7,7cm. l.F.K. 1896, the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1898 started its service life as a non-recoil piece. The advent of the French 75mm mle/1897 with its hydro-pneumatic recoil system and quick firing Nordenfeld breech meant that Germany had to rethink her artillery development plan. These two German non-recoil pieces would be retroactively fitted with hydro-spring recoil mechanisms in order to compete with the French innovation.

The designation for the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1898 non-recoil howitzers were changed in 1909 to 10,5cm. l.F.H. 1898/09 when the howitzers were fitted with their recoil mechanisms and new carriages with a spade to serve as a backstop. The newly retrofitted howitzers also got shields to cover the crewmen from the effects of enemy fire and axle-tree seats for two of the crewmen.

Above: Original (bottom) and reproduction (top) pointing lever for the 10,5cm. l.F.H.

The lFH 98/09 has a horizontal sliding wedge breech system, as is the case with most German guns and howitzers of the WW1 Era. The limber (protze) and caisson for the 10,5cm lFH 98/09 where unchanged after the 1909 retrofit of the howitzers. The limber was pulled by a six horse team with three drivers. We have a limber box of this type in the collection. Ammunition for the howitzer was separate loading making use of bag charges of propellant, with a shell case only used to form a seal between the breech block and the shell chamber and to hold the primer chain.

Above: Replacement wheels for the 10,5cm. l.F.H. 98/09 made from original parts from several other howitzers and guns   

Link to the 10,5cm lFH Limber

Link to the 10,5cm Ammunition

All images, research, and text are sole property of Ralph Lovett.

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