150mm Lightning shells?

[Kingfish]

Look here

Scroll halfway down to 'Stronghold Cézembre island', then click on 'Middle'. The second pic shows a destroyed German 150mm gun which the author of the website says was "used to shot Lightnings shells"

Were they illumination shells for the larger 194mm coastal guns? Did this weapon have the capability to shoot standard 150 HE ordanance as well?

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Kingfish:

Were they illumination shells for the larger 194mm coastal guns?

Possibly. In any event, I've never heard of "lightning" shells and I take it he meant to write 'lighting'. Perhaps English is not his first language?

Did this weapon have the capability to shoot standard 150 HE ordanance as well?

Surely. And if it were a naval gun, it might have had a semi-armor piercing round as well.

One thing to consider is that the author may have been mistaken about either the caliber or function of the weapon or both. We don't know.

Michael

[Macphail]

he probly meant star shells, for area illumination

[Macphail]

either that, or it was some V weapon from penumunde i was previously unaware of. sounds like something suitibly wagnerian, that hitler would want researched.

"I will hurl lightning bolts at them until they submit to my will!"

[Kingfish]

Star shells was my guess as well. The Fortress had 6x 194mm coastal guns, but only 1 150mm gun, so it would appear that it was to provide illumination for the larger guns at night.

[willbell]

Kingfisher,

Can't believe everything you read. I think the author took some great photos but completely balled up the info.

Will

[Kingfish]

willbell,

You may be right, but then again why have only one 150mm gun on the island at all if not for support of the larger coastal guns?

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Kingfish:

willbell,

You may be right, but then again why have only one 150mm gun on the island at all if not for support of the larger coastal guns?

That's a good argument and I am inclined to go along with it. But it's worth remembering that German coastal defenses were in any case quite a mélange of German and captured weapons thrown together willi-nilli. For instance, those 194mm main battery guns are an odd size. Could they be something left over from WW I, railway guns for instance, pressed into service as coast defense guns? In short, these fortresses tended to be armed with whatever the Germans could lay their hands on. While I tend to agree with your idea, it's just possible that there was a spare 150mm laying around somewhere that got drawn into the make up of this particular establishment.

Michael

[Kingfish]

Originally posted by Michael Emrys:

For instance, those 194mm main battery guns are an odd size. Could they be something left over from WW I, railway guns for instance, pressed into service as coast defense guns?

You are correct. From the link I posted earlier:

"Main guns were six French 194m/m 1870 model last used during World War I by French army as railroad battery"