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Bunker-busting artillery shell From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Röchling shells were bunker-busting artillery shells, developed by German engineer August Coenders during World War II, based on the theory of increasing the sectional density to improve penetration.[1]
The subcaliber shells made from chrome-vanadium steel were able to penetrate much more than 4 metres (13 ft) of reinforced concrete roof before burying the shell through the floor and into earth.[2] They resembled fin-stabilized arrow shells, but had a discarding flange acting as a driving band instead of fins.[3] Despite high penetration, these shells had a low muzzle velocity, and thus a high dispersion, 36 m (118 ft) on 1,000 m (3,300 ft) range. As a result, they saw very limited use during World War II; only about 200 shells were ever fired even though 6,000 such shells were made for the very large howitzers like the 21 cm mortar.[citation needed]
Röchling shells were developed for the 21 cm Mörser 18, a captured French 34 cm railway gun 674(f), and the 35.5 cm Haubitze M1 only. In addition, many experimental HE shells were made for the 3.7 cm Pak 36 and 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank guns.[4]
Röchling shells were tested in 1942 and 1943 first against the Belgian Fort de Battice then against the Belgian Fort d'Aubin-Neufchâteau.[5][6] They were also tested against the fortresses of Hůrka,[7] Hanička and Dobrošov[8][9] (today's Czech Republic),[10] the Gössler wall, Toplitzsee (Austria) and at the Hillersleben test facility (Germany).
They were regarded as a German secret weapon, and there is speculation that their use was limited in order to reduce the chance of dud shells being recovered and exploited by the Allied forces.[11] A more likely reason, however, is their poor accuracy.[12]
Preserved small-size fin-stabilized prototype of Röchling shell (36 cm long) is since 2020 exhibited in the Museum of Czechoslovakian fortifications,[13] inside the fort Hůrka. Remnants of full-sized test shells are still visible in the walls of the fort.[14]
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