Austro-Hungarian 8cm M5,8 Field Gun

(Demilitarized and Undergoing Restoration)

Austro-Hungarian 8cm M5,8 Skoda Field Gun video

From the 1890s through the early 1900s most European nations had non-recoil field artillery guns with breech loading barrels.  Most of these barrels in Europe and even the USA were made of steel by this time.  The surprise revelation of the French 75mm mle/97 with a smooth hydro-pneumatic recoil coupled with a very fast firing Nordenfelt breech system put all nations scrambling to react. Germany recalled her 7,7cm lFK 1896 guns and 10,5cm lFH 1898 howitzers around 1905-09 to be rebuilt with Ehrhardt designed, Rheinmetall manufactured hydro-spring recoil mechanisms.  While being rebuilt with recoil systems, they also were equipped with shields, spades, and layer and loader seats. Many other nations bought the German Ehrhardt hydro-pneumatic recoil system and carriage layout.  These nations included the USA with the 3-inch M1902, and the UK with the Ordnance QF 15-pounder gun purchased and manufactured directly from Ehrhardt.  Austro-Hungary (KuK) chose this same solution with the urging of her ally, Germany, but the KuK had one additional hurdle to overcome.  The steel of the barrel was not easily manufactured by her state depots or arms manufacturers like Skoda. Bronze was the metal preferred in the KuK.   The KuK 8cm M1905 design was modified with a bronze barrel and was not really fielded for several more years.  The general layout and capability is in keeping with most of the other Ehrhardt designs and while inferior to the French 75mm mle/97 could be manufactured domestically and was close enough to give the KuK a fighting chance especially with her ally, Germany by her side.  By 1908 a slight modification was made to many of these guns to adapt it to the very mountainous terrain of the KuK Empire.  The 8cm M5,8 has two hooks on the back of the breech ring that facilitate the gun being disassembled for mountain transport.  While I do not see references to this, the later manufactured barrels are obviously steel not bronze, so Skoda at least did transition to this metal.  The example in my collection is a late war, 1917 dated 8cm M5,8 with a steel barrel manufactured by Skoda.

Above: KuK 8cm M5,8 Field Gun painted with incorrect colors

Above, Front view of the KuK 8cm M5,8 Field Gun manufactured by Skoda

Above: A view of the spade, breech and shield of the KuK 8cm M1905,08 Field Gun. Note the colors are not correct. This is a work in progress. I am looking for the sight mount, aiming circle (director), internal breech parts, ammunition, and limber for this gun type.

If you have parts for this one let me know at: Lovett155@Hotmail.com