Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement

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Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement (la Finette)

The Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement was a French heavy railway gun built for World War I era needs and later used in World War II. It was designed by Schneider in 1916 and consisted of two guns converted from naval 34 cm guns. Only two were built.

Origins and design
- Origin: France
- Designer/manufacturer: Schneider
- Built: 1916 (two guns)
- Weight: about 187 tons
- Barrel length: 11.9 m (L/35)
- Caliber: 34 cm (13.4 in)
- Shell: 342 kg
- Ammunition: separate loading bagged charges and projectiles
- Breech: interrupted screw
- Carriage: two six-axle rail bogies
- Elevation: −3° to +40°; traverse: none
- Rate of fire: about 1 round every 4 minutes
- Muzzle velocity: 720 m/s
- Maximum range: 27 km

How it worked
- It began life as two Canon de 340/35 modèle 1893 naval guns on Terrible-class coastal defense ships.
- After those ships were deactivated, the guns were converted for rail use with Schneider’s Glissement system.
- The gun’s base sat on a large steel frame with two six-axle bogies. It had no side-to-side aiming; crews positioned it on curved track and used reinforced rails and fixed beams to anchor and absorb recoil.
- Loading involved lowering the barrel and using a hoist to bring in shells; after firing, the carriage would recoil a short distance and be re-anchored and moved back into position.

Combat history
- WWI: One gun, named “la Finette,” fought near Condé-sur-Aisne in 1918 as part of the ALGP.
- WWII: The two guns were mobilized into the 6th battery of the Heavy Artillery Regiment 372° of the ALVF. They were at Pagny-sur-Moselle when France was invaded; track damage forced the evacuation of one gun to Besançon. That gun later reached Bayonne via Lyon and Toulouse.