Description

World War I was the Golden Age of the railway gun. Even though at the start of the conflict none of the armies possessed any railway artillery pieces and the very idea was comparatively new, more railway guns were used during this war than in any other conflict. Designed to break the stalemate of trench warfare, the first railway guns were simple, improvised designs made by mounting surplus coastal defence, fortress, and naval guns onto existing commercial railway carriages. As the war dragged on, railway artillery development shifted to longer range guns that could shell targets deep behind enemy lines. This change of role brought much larger and more sophisticated guns often manufactured by mounting long-barrel naval guns to specially-designed railway carriages.

This book details the design and development of railway guns during World War I from the very first basic designs to massive purpose built "monster" railway guns. Accompanying the text are many rare, never-before-published, photographs and colour illustrations depicting how these weapons were used during World War I.

Product details

Published Aug 24 2017
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 48
ISBN 9781472816405
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 30 b/w; 33 col
Series New Vanguard
Short code NVG 249
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Marc Romanych

Marc Romanych is a retired US Army combat arms off…

Author

Greg Heuer

Greg Heuer is retired Chief Engineer and Program M…

Illustrator

Steve Noon

Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art…

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