7.5cm Feldkanone 16 nA

The 7.5cm Feldkanone 16 nA was an inter-war redesign of the First World War 7.7cm FK 16, modifying it to use the new standard 75mm ammunition.

The original 7.7cm FK 16 was an improved version of the 7.7cm Feldkanone 96 na, and was one of the few weapons that the German Army was allowed to keep after the First World War. In the post-war period the German Army decided to switch from 77mm to 75mm ammunition for its field guns. In order to speed up the switch, the existing 7.7cm guns had their barrels replaced with new 75mm barrels. Otherwise very few changes were made - the new weapon was still expected to be horse drawn, so it kept its wooden spoked wheels and the box-tail carriage (this did limit its traverse to only 4 degrees). There were single seats on either side of the barrel, located ahead of the gun shield, for use by the gunners when the gun was being towed.

The modified guns were issued to cavalry units in 1934, and equipped their horse-powered gun batteries. It wasn't a great success in this role, as it was really too heavy to keep up with the cavalry. The outdated carriage also limited its traverse to only 4 degrees. Most were thus transferred to training units or to second line units. The 16cm FK 16 nA remained in service to the end of the Second World War, and was encountered by the Allies in Normandy. Four were located in field entrenchments at Breville and two on Juno beach.

A similar conversion had been carried out in Belgium, where 7.7cm guns given as war reparations were given new 7.5cm barrels by Cocerills. These were taken into the German army as the 7.5cm FK 234(b).

At the same time as the FK 16 nA was being produced, work was already underway on its replacement - the 7.5cm leichte Feldkanone 18, a more modern but also more complex design that was only produced in small numbers.

German Heavy Artillery Guns 1933-1945, Alexander Lüdeke. Despite the title actually covers light, medium and heavy artillery as well as mortars and anti-tank guns (excludes railway guns, flak and rocket launchers). Each gets a useful write-up, supported by stats and at least one photo. Covers German-built guns and the many types captured and used by the Wehrmacht. [read full review]

German Artillery 1914-1918, Wolfgang Fleischer. Covers over 100 guns used by the German Army and shore detachments of the Navy during the First World War, a conflict largely dominated by artillery. Each one gets a brief description, a set of technical stats and a good picture. Shows the wide range of gun types and sizes used by the Germans during the First World War, and the way in which they evolved to deal with the unexpected challenges of trench warfare. [read full review]

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