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K5(E) Railway Gun Info Needed

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Winnowill, Nov 9, 2023.

  1. Winnowill

    Winnowill New Member

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    Hello!

    This is my first post. I’m hoping that some of you historians can provide me with some info on Germany’s K5(E) railway guns that I haven’t been able to find anywhere online.

    One of the things I’m trying to get is an accurate list of the gun’s nicknames. ‘Leopold’ and ‘Robert’ seem to be confirmed names. I have also seen ‘Margaret’ listed in a forum or two. But really, I’d like to find as many confirmed (or at least very likely) names as possible, along with any info on where the gun saw service, and what guns were operated together (IE Robert and Leopold both working Anzio together).

    The second area where I’m looking for info is more related to deployment. How common was it one or more K5’s to be used closely together? For example, if there was a suitable double track railway tunnel within range of a selected target (and the properly angled curved track outside), might two K5’s be operated out of that one tunnel?

    Third, what was the actual makeup of the train used when the K5 was firing and what order were the train cars usually in when using an existing railway tunnel? I have seen it around the net that the train would consist of (in order);

    1 WR360 C14 Locomotive.
    1 ‘climate controlled‘ box car for propellant.
    1 ‘climate controlled‘ box car for shells.
    1 flat car or gondola, just as a ‘spacer’.
    K5 cannon.
    1-2 crew/sleeping car.
    1 kitchen car.


    Now, it was stated that the kitchen car occupied that position, closest to the tunnel opening, because it was the most expendable if an attack took place. But personally, considering the intensity of the concussion when a K5 fired, I can’t see having any rail-car coupled to that end of the gun.

    So that’s what I’m trying to find out. I hope someone here can help.

    Thank you in advance and Take Care!
     
  2. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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