The Obice da 210/22 modello 35 was an Italian heavy howitzer designed by the Italian Arms and Munitions Technical Service (STAM) and accepted into service by the Royal Italian Army in 1938. A total of 346 were ordered and the gun was produced by Ansaldo at their Pozzuoli factory. However production was slow and approximately 85 were produced by September 1943. After Italy surrendered Germany seized as many as they could and a factory in Northern Italy continued to produce a small number for the German Army. The carriage was split trail with four wheels which raised from the ground for firing and the gun was trunnioned under the breech to allow for maximum recoil and elevation.

Obice da 210/22 modello 35
The 210/22 gun
TypeHowitzer
Place of originItaly
Service history
Used by Italy
 Nazi Germany
 Hungary
WarsWorld War II
Production history
ManufacturerAnsaldo
No. builtapprox 85 by Sep 1943 (small number built for Germany post armistice) [1]
Specifications
MassCombat:15,885 kg (35,020 lb)
Travel: 24,000 kg (53,000 lb) in two loads
Barrel length5 m (16 ft 5 in) L/23.8

ShellHE; 101 kg (223 lb)
Caliber210 mm (8.3 in)
RecoilHydro-pneumatic
CarriageSplit trail
Elevation0° to +70°
Traverse75°
Muzzle velocity560 m/s (1,800 ft/s)
Maximum firing range15,400 m (16,800 yd)

Derivatives and designations edit

  • 21 cm 39.M: Hungarian designation for guns purchased from Italy.
  • 21 cm 40.M: Hungarian-produced version featuring carriage modifications.
  • 21 cm 41.M: Final Hungarian-produced version which entered production in 1943.
  • 21 cm Haubitze 520(i): German designation for guns captured after the Italian surrender in 1943 and kept in production until the end of the war.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ From N. Pignato and F. Cappellano, art. Cit. page 8 appears that 9 were delivered by 1939, 30 in 1941, 30 in 1942 and 16 in 1943
  • Hogg, Ian Twentieth-Century Artillery. New York: Barnes & Nobles, 2000 ISBN 0-7607-1994-2
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20170401233549/http://ww2photo.se/gun/ita/ha/210-22.htm