SF mit ital. 7,6 cm Geschütz

[Arjan]

I read that SF 290 was equipped with an Italian 7,6 cm gun. I don't know if this was done because the vessel was used in "Bandenkampf" actions.

http://www.historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/siebelfaehre/ausgabe.php?where_value=11

I wonder if this BA pic shows the gun in question. It was also equipped with at least one RAG M42 which judging from other pics was not uncommon in this theatre (SF 294 also had a RAG).



By the way, what could be the function of what looks like a fish tank on t op of the deck-house ?

There is also a pic in the Polish NAC archive (image nr. 2-558) that might show the Italian guns ? The SF in this pic looks very similar to the one in the BA photo, it was also involved in an SS anti-partisan action:

https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/search/results/

edit: Looks like SF 294 had a similar "fish tank" on t op of its deck-house:

http://historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/bilder/index.php?bild=MFP_SF_294_1.jpg&ftyp=siebelfaehre&id=7

Arjan

[Arjan]

I haven't managed to find any Italian 7,6 cm gun that resembles the guns in the two pics. To me the guns look most like the 7,5 cm Feldkanone 97(f) :

http://atlantikwall.superforum.fr/t712-75-cm-feldkanone-97-f-fk231-f-et-fk-97-p

Arjan

[Aquarius]

Hello Arjan,

Though I'm not an expert in guns, the gun under question may even been of Czech origin. A lot of guns were captured by the German troops when invading there. An Italian gun is really unlikely for the time of the picture taken.
Another hint regarding the fishtank like box you mentioned. I think this was a provisional wind shield for those who had to lookout for enemy aircrafts or vessels. Wind is a very import factor of fatigue failure for crew members that had to do the outlook.

Kind regards Aquarius

[Arjan]

Hallo Aquarius,

I'm quite sure by now that the gun is an adapted French 7,5cm Schneider gun. No other guns had these unique fittings (protrusions) at the muzzle.  You may well be right that the box is a kind of wind screen. There also seem to be openings in the sides of this box.

Gruss,

Arjan

[MarkusL]

Hello,
captured French Schneider Guns have also been used as Coastal Defence Guns (with similar shieldings) and AA-Guns.
Regards
Markus

[Arjan]

Here you can find another pic of a Fähre equipped with the "fish tank" windscreen and probably two Schneider guns. It's the 6th pic:

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/heard-of-this-before-siebelfahre-landing-craft-operated-by-germanys-wehrmacht.html/3

I also found a pic of the gun in the Beeldbank WO2 collection (102050):

http://www.beeldbankwo2.nl/detail.jsp?action=detail&recordidx=1

Some time ago I found an even better pic in this collection but it seems to have vanished  .

Arjan