Looks like a Krupp cannon sans breech block. Recent picture?
Yes, it is a photo taken by Balcer in 2006 at Suomenlinna Fortress in Helsinki, Finland and displayed on Wikipedia. Krupp is correct. This one was built only 4 years after our 1866 model upon which our firecracker/signal gun was based. Also in 1870 the northern German (Prussian) coast was well armed with these seacoast rifles as the Franco-Prussian War was started.
In 1878, the Danish Navy had a Krupp gun on it's armored ship the Helgoland that was very close in appearance to the photo above. The lower chassis is the same wedge design only it's center pivot. Could this possibly have been a ship gun for the Finnish Navy? Many of our late 19th century ship guns were put to use for coastal defense during WW2.
Funny you should mention that, Dom. Actually, we think you might possibly be correct. The Chassis for the Model 1866 gun was much larger in it's barbette configuration for firing over the parapet. This mount is only 1/4 of that size. Even though this is an 11" gun and not a 14" like the M 1866, we would expect that the Barbette Chassis would be a lot bigger. Interesting also, is the fact that your ship-board gun was in use in 1878. In 1879 the Russians built the gun in the immediate background under a Krupp license at the Perm Ironworks. The far background guns are older 229mm naval guns built in 1867.
What really amazes Mike and I is the fact that these old seacoast guns are still here after all these years. I mean, come on, it really does not look like a tourist destination, does it? It looks like what it is, an old earthworks battery on a seacoast. Those guns probably are the ones that were emplaced here about 140 years ago.
The moderators are fixated on firecracker guns. Nope, it ain't one of those, but it does resemble one with which you both are familiar.
Mike and Tracy
