THIS MAY GO A BIT OFF TOPIC TO SOME EXAMPLES POST 1900 BUT I FEEL IT WOULD BE AMISS TO EXCLUDE THE GIANT RAIL GUNS FROM WW1 AND WW2. TWO PICTURES ARE OF CIVIL WAR BIG GUNS, ONE IS A 13INCH MORTAR USED AT PETERSBURG VIRGINIA DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. ANOTHER IS SEVERAL CANNON AND CANNON BALLS AT RICHMOND VIRGINIA AFTER IT WAS BURNED BY THE VICTORS. THERE ARE TWO PICTURES OF THE ORIGINAL BIG BERTHA FROM WW1 AND TWO OF THE LARGER RAIL GUNS BUILT BY GERMANY FOR KRUPP ARMEMENT WORKS IN GERMANY WW2 AND A SHELL AND CHARGE FOR THE GUN. THE KRUPP GUN HAD A 80 CM BORE THE SHELLS WERE ALMOST 17 FEET LONG AND WEIGHED OVER 7 TONS, RANGE 29 MILES. IT WAS DESIGNED TO PENETRATE BUNKERS AND WOULD PENETRATE 80 YARDS DEEP AND LEAVE A CRATER 90 FEET ACROSS AND 30 FEET DEEP. THE GUN WEIGHED 1350 METRIC TONS, WAS 4 STORIES HIGH, 20 FOOT WIDE AND 140 FEET LONG. THE RECOIL OFTEN PUSHED THE GUNS BACK ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS 100 FEET. THE BIG KRUPP GUN WAS SET ON A DOUBBLE SET OF RAILS.
NAVAL VESSELS HAD AN ADVANTAGE OVER LAND BASED BIG GUNS AS THE WATER HELPED TAKE UP THE RECOIL. LAND GUNS PICTURED 1940 LARGE CANNONS AT SCHOFIELD BARRACKS HAWAII. AND A WW1 BRITISH GUN ON WHEELS.
KRUPP ALSO BUILT A 52 CM BORE GUN THAT SHOT FINNED ARROW SHELLS 95 MILES.
JUST FOR FUN IS A PICTURE FROM HAWAII WITH GIRLS STANDING BY SURF BOARDS ALSO KNOWN AS BIG GUNS.
