The Dora super-heavy rail-mounted artillery piece was developed in the late 1930s by the German company Krupp. This weapon was intended to destroy fortifications on the borders of Germany with Belgium, France (Maginot Line). In 1942, Dora was used to storm Sevastopol, and in 1944 to suppress the uprising in Warsaw.
The development of German artillery after World War I was limited by the Treaty of Versailles. According to the provisions of this treaty, Germany was prohibited from having any anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, as well as guns, the caliber of which exceeded 150 mm. Thus, the creation of large-caliber and powerful artillery was a matter of honor and prestige, the leaders of Nazi Germany believed.
Based on this, in 1936, when Hitler visited one of the Krupp factories, he categorically demanded that the company's management design a super-powerful weapon that would be capable of destroying the French Maginot Line and Belgian border forts, such as Eben-Emal. According to the requirements of the Wehrmacht, the cannon projectile should be able to penetrate concrete 7 m thick, armor 1 m, hard ground 30 meters, the maximum range of the gun should be 25-45 km. and have a vertical guidance angle of +65 degrees.
The group of designers of the "Krupp" concern, which was engaged in the creation of a new super-powerful gun according to the proposed tactical and technical requirements, was headed by Professor E. Mueller, who had vast experience in this matter. The development of the project was completed in 1937, and in the same year the Krupp concern was given an order for the production of a new 800mm cannon. The construction of the first gun was completed in 1941. The weapon, in honor of E. Mueller's wife, was given the name "Dora". The second gun, which was named "Fat Gustav" in honor of the leadership of the firm of Gustav von Bohlen and Galbach Krupp, was built in mid-1941. In addition, a third 520 mm gun was designed. and a barrel length of 48 meters. It was called Long Gustav. But this weapon was not completed.
In 1941, 120 km. to the west of Berlin, at the Rügenwalde-Hillersleben test site, the guns were tested. The tests were attended by Adolf Hitler himself, his associate Albert Speer, as well as other high army officials. Hitler was pleased with the test results.
Although the guns did not have some mechanisms, they met the requirements that were specified in the terms of reference. All tests were completed by the end of 1942. The gun was delivered to the troops. By the same time, the company's factories had produced over 100 shells of 800 mm caliber.
Some of the design features of the gun
The locking of the barrel bolt, as well as the sending of the projectiles, were carried out by hydraulic mechanisms. The gun was equipped with two lifters: for shells and for shells. The first part of the barrel was tapered, the second was cylindrical.
The gun was mounted on a 40-axle conveyor, which was located on a double railway track. The distance between the tracks was 6 meters. In addition, one more railway track was laid on the sides of the gun for assembly cranes. The total mass of the gun was 1350 tons. To fire the gun, a section up to 5 km long was needed. The time it took to prepare the gun for firing consisted of choosing a position (it could reach 6 weeks) and the assembly of the gun itself (about 3 days).
Tool transportation and service personnel.
The gun was transported by rail. So, near Sevastopol "Dora" was delivered by 5 trains in 106 wagons:
1st train: service personnel (672nd artillery division, about 500 people), 43 cars;
2nd train, auxiliary equipment and assembly crane, 16 cars;
3rd train: gun parts and workshop, 17 cars;
4th train: loaders and barrel, 20 cars;
5th train: ammunition, 10 cars.
Combat use
Dora took part in World War II only twice.
The gun was first used to capture Sevastopol in 1942. During this campaign, only one successful hit by the Dora shell was recorded, which caused an explosion in an ammunition depot located at a depth of 27 meters. The rest of Dora's shots penetrated the ground to a depth of 12 meters. After the explosion of the shell, a drop-like shape with a diameter of about 3 meters was formed in the ground, which did not cause much harm to the defenders of the city. In Sevastopol, the gun fired 48 shells.
After Sevastopol "Dora" was sent to Leningrad, and from there to Essen for repairs.
The Dora was used for the second time in 1944 to suppress the Warsaw Uprising. In total, more than 30 shells were fired by the gun in Warsaw.
End of Dora and Gustav
1945-22-04, the forward units of the Allied army in 36 km. from the city of Auerbach (Bavaria) found the remains of the guns "Dora" and "Gustav" blown up by the Germans. Subsequently, all that remained of these giants of World War II was sent to be melted down.
