Shortly before the Second World War, France had one of the strongest defences ever built the Maginot line. To deal with this, the Germans built the biggest gun ever fired on enemy forces: the 80cm K(E), or the more creative name, Schwerer Gustav (Schwerer also spelled Schwere, and Gustav also spelled Gustaf), and its sister gun, called Dora (Dora the Exploder!). Although the Germans ended up just going around the Maginot line, through Poland, the Gustav was still used against some French fortifications, and against Sevastopol, another well-defended area.
In one of the places it bombarded, it achieved a massive feat: with nine (9) shells, it disabled an ammunition bunker 30m under water, with at least 10 meters of concrete protecting it, as well as destroying a French ship.
In testing, 800mm high-explosive shells (which weigh 4.8 tonnes) made craters 10m wide and deep.
The Gustav fired nearly 300 rounds, but 250 of those were for testing and development.
Hitler was so pleased with it that he ordered a second one be made, Dora.
Dora saw no combat.
In the end, the Gustav was destroyed by the Germans to keep it out of Russian hands, and the Dora was discovered broken up a while after the war.
In one of the places it bombarded, it achieved a massive feat: with nine (9) shells, it disabled an ammunition bunker 30m under water, with at least 10 meters of concrete protecting it, as well as destroying a French ship.
In testing, 800mm high-explosive shells (which weigh 4.8 tonnes) made craters 10m wide and deep.
The Gustav fired nearly 300 rounds, but 250 of those were for testing and development.
Hitler was so pleased with it that he ordered a second one be made, Dora.
Dora saw no combat.
In the end, the Gustav was destroyed by the Germans to keep it out of Russian hands, and the Dora was discovered broken up a while after the war.
"Dora the Exploder"! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm actually not sure if that was my joke or dad's.
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