The largest caliber gun in the world. Bloody Dora: How a Giant Nazi Cannon Could Change the Course of World War II

It is not for nothing that artillery is called the “god of war.” Since its appearance on the battlefield, it has become one of the main and most important strike forces ground forces.

Tsar Cannon
The “Tsar Cannon” is decorated with intricate patterns and has several inscriptions engraved on it. Experts are confident that the gun was fired at least once, but historical evidence for this has not been found. Today the Tsar Cannon is included in the Guinness Book of Records and is one of the main Moscow attractions.

Self-propelled mortar "Karl"
This is German self-propelled gun period of the Second World War. "Karl" had a caliber of 600 mm and a weight of 126 tons. A total of seven copies of this weapon, which would be more correctly called a self-propelled mortar, were built. The Germans built them to destroy enemy fortresses or other heavily fortified positions. Initially, these guns were developed for the assault on the French Maginot Line, but due to the transience of the campaign they were never used. For the first time, mortars were used on the Eastern Front; the Nazis used them during the assault Brest Fortress, and then during the siege of Sevastopol. At the end of the war, one of the mortars was captured by the Red Army, and today this self-propelled gun can be seen by anyone in the armored museum in Kubinka near Moscow.

"Crazy Greta"
"Mad Greta" is one of the few medieval forged weapons that have survived to this day. large caliber. The cannon fired stone cannonballs; its barrel consisted of 32 forged steel strips, fastened with numerous hoops. The dimensions of the Greta are truly impressive: its barrel length is 5 meters, its weight is 16 tons, and its caliber is 660 mm.

Howitzer "Saint-Chamond"
This cannon was so large that it had to be mounted on a railway platform. The total weight of the structure was 137 tons, the gun could send projectiles weighing 641 kg over a distance of 17 km. True, in order to equip a position for Saint-Chamond, the French were forced to lay railway tracks.

Faule Mette
Unfortunately, none of these guns have survived to this day, so the characteristics of the gun can only be restored from the descriptions of its contemporaries. “Lazy Metta” was made in the German city of Braunschweig at the beginning of the 15th century. Master Henning Bussenschutte is considered its creator. The cannon had impressive dimensions: weight about 8.7 tons, caliber from 67 to 80 cm, the mass of one stone core reached 430 kg. For each shot, it was necessary to put about 30 kg of gunpowder into the cannon.

"Big Bertha"
Famous German large-caliber gun from the First World War. The gun was developed at the beginning of the last century and manufactured at the Krupp factories in 1914. “Big Bertha” had a caliber of 420 mm, its projectile weighed 900 kg, and the firing range was 14 km. The weapon was intended to destroy particularly strong enemy fortifications. The gun was manufactured in two versions: semi-stationary and mobile. The weight of the mobile modification was 42 tons; the Germans used steam tractors to transport it. When it exploded, the shell formed a crater with a diameter of more than ten meters; the gun’s rate of fire was one shot every eight minutes.

Mortar "Oka"
Soviet self-propelled large-caliber mortar "Oka", developed in the mid-50s. At that time the USSR already had nuclear bomb, but had difficulties with the means of its delivery. Therefore, Soviet strategists decided to create a mortar capable of firing nuclear charges. Its caliber was 420 mm, total mass the vehicle weighed 55 tons, and the firing range could reach 50 km. The Oka mortar had such monstrous recoil that its production was abandoned. A total of four self-propelled mortars were manufactured.

Little David
“Little David” was intended to destroy particularly powerful enemy fortifications and was developed for the Pacific theater of military operations. But, in the end, this gun never left the test site. The barrel was installed in a special metal box dug into the ground. “David” fired special cone-shaped projectiles, the weight of which reached 1678 kg. After their explosion, a crater with a diameter of 12 meters and a depth of 4 meters remained.

"Dora"
This gun was created by Krupp engineers in the mid-30s. It had a caliber of 807 mm, was installed on a railway platform and could fire at a range of 48 km. In total, the Germans managed to produce two “Doras”, one of them was used during the siege of Sevastopol, and possibly during the suppression of the uprising in Warsaw. The total weight of one gun was 1350 tons. The gun could fire one shot in 30-40 minutes. It should be noted that the combat effectiveness of this monster is questioned by many experts and military historians.

Basilica or Ottoman cannon
It was made in the middle of the 15th century by the Hungarian master Urban specially commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II. This artillery gun had colossal dimensions: its length was approximately 12 meters, its diameter was 75-90 cm, and its total weight was about 32 tons. The bombard was cast from bronze and required 30 bulls to move it. In addition, the “crew” of the gun included another 50 carpenters, whose task was to make a special platform, as well as up to 200 workers who moved the gun. The Basilica's firing range was 2 km.

It is not for nothing that artillery is called the “god of war.” It has long become one of the main and most important striking forces of the ground forces. Despite the rapid development of combat aviation and missile weapons, modern gunners still have a lot of work to do, and this situation is unlikely to change in the near future.

It is believed that Europe became acquainted with gunpowder in the 14th century, which led to a real revolution in military affairs. Fire-breathing bombards were first used to destroy enemy fortresses and other fortifications, and it took several centuries for the guns to be able to move with the army and participate in land battles.

For centuries, the best minds of mankind have been improving artillery weapons. In this material we will talk about the largest and most famous artillery pieces in the history of mankind. Not all of them turned out to be successful or even useful, but this absolutely did not prevent the giants from causing universal delight and admiration. So, which cannon is the largest in the world?

Top 10 largest artillery pieces in human history.

10. Self-propelled mortar “Karl” (Gerät 040)

This is a German self-propelled gun from the Second World War. "Karl" had a caliber of 600 mm and weighed 126 tons. A total of seven copies of this system were built, which would be more correctly called a self-propelled mortar. The Germans built them to destroy enemy fortresses and other fortified positions. Initially, these guns were developed for the assault on the French Maginot Line, but due to the transience of the campaign they were never used. The debut of these mortars took place on the Eastern Front, where the Nazis used them during the storming of the Brest Fortress, and then during the siege of Sevastopol. At the end of the war, one of the mortars was captured by the Red Army, and today this self-propelled gun can be seen by anyone in the armored museum in Kubinka near Moscow.

9. “Crazy Greta” (Dulle Griet)

In ninth place in our ranking is a medieval weapon made in the 14th century on the territory of modern Belgium. “Mad Greta” is one of the few large-caliber medieval forged guns that have survived to this day. The cannon fired stone cannonballs; its barrel consisted of 32 forged steel strips, fastened with numerous hoops. The dimensions of the Greta are truly impressive: its barrel length is 5 meters, its weight is 16 tons, and its caliber is 660 mm.

8. Howitzer "Saint-Chamon"

Eighth place in the ranking is occupied by a French 400 mm gun, created in 1884. This cannon was so large that it had to be mounted on a railway platform. The total weight of the structure was 137 tons, the gun could send projectiles weighing 641 kg over a distance of 17 km. True, in order to equip a position for Saint-Chamond, the French were forced to lay railway tracks.

7. Faule Mette (“Lazy Mette”)

In seventh place in our ranking is another famous medieval large-caliber weapon that fired stone cannonballs. Unfortunately, none of these guns have survived to this day, so the characteristics of the gun can only be restored from the descriptions of its contemporaries. “Lazy Metta” was made in the German city of Braunschweig at the beginning of the 15th century. Master Henning Bussenschutte is considered its creator. The cannon had impressive dimensions: weight about 8.7 tons, caliber from 67 to 80 cm, the mass of one stone core reached 430 kg. For each shot, it was necessary to put about 30 kg of gunpowder into the cannon.

6. "Big Bertha" (Dicke Bertha)

Famous German large-caliber gun from the First World War. The gun was developed at the beginning of the last century and manufactured at the Krupp factories in 1914. “Big Bertha” had a caliber of 420 mm, its projectile weighed 900 kg, and the firing range was 14 km. The weapon was intended to destroy particularly strong enemy fortifications. The gun was manufactured in two versions: semi-stationary and mobile. The weight of the mobile modification was 42 tons; the Germans used steam tractors to transport it. When it exploded, the shell formed a crater with a diameter of more than ten meters; the gun’s rate of fire was one shot every eight minutes.

5. Oka mortar

Fifth place in our ranking is occupied by the Soviet large-caliber self-propelled mortar "Oka", developed in the mid-50s. At that time, the USSR already possessed a nuclear bomb, but had difficulties with the means of delivering it. Therefore, Soviet strategists decided to create a mortar capable of firing nuclear charges. Its caliber was 420 mm, the total weight of the vehicle was 55 tons, and the firing range could reach 50 km. The Oka mortar had such monstrous recoil that its production was abandoned. A total of four self-propelled mortars were manufactured.

4. Little David

This is an American experimental mortar from the Second World War. It is the largest weapon (by caliber) of modern artillery.

“Little David” was intended to destroy particularly powerful enemy fortifications and was developed for the Pacific theater of military operations. But in the end, this gun never left the test site. The barrel was installed in a special metal box dug into the ground. “David” fired special cone-shaped projectiles, the weight of which reached 1678 kg. After their explosion, a crater with a diameter of 12 meters and a depth of 4 meters was left.

The dimensions of the gun are impressive: the length of the gun is 5.34 meters, the caliber is 890 mm, and the total weight is almost 40 tons. This weapon really deserves the respectful prefix “king”.

The “Tsar Cannon” is decorated with intricate patterns and has several inscriptions engraved on it. Experts are confident that the gun was fired at least once, but historical evidence for this has not been found. Today the Tsar Cannon is included in the Guinness Book of Records and is one of the main Moscow attractions.

The second place in our ranking is taken by superheavy German gun period of the Second World War. This gun was created by Krupp engineers in the mid-30s. It had a caliber of 807 mm, was installed on a railway platform and could fire at a range of 48 km. In total, the Germans managed to produce two “Doras”, one of them was used during the siege of Sevastopol, and possibly during the suppression of the uprising in Warsaw. The total weight of one gun was 1350 tons. The gun could fire one shot in 30-40 minutes. It should be noted that the combat effectiveness of this monster is questioned by many experts and military historians.

1. "Basilica" or Ottoman cannon

In first place in our rating is another historical weapon from the Middle Ages. It was made in the middle of the 15th century by the Hungarian master Urban specially commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II. This artillery gun had colossal dimensions: its length was approximately 12 meters, its diameter was 75-90 cm, and its total weight was about 32 tons. The bombard was cast from bronze and required 30 bulls to move it. In addition, the “crew” of the gun included another 50 carpenters, whose task was to make a special platform, as well as up to 200 workers who moved the gun. The Basilica's firing range was 2 km.

However, the Ottoman cannon did not come to first place in our rating because of its size. Only thanks to this weapon did the Ottomans manage to destroy the strong walls of Constantinople and capture the city. Until this moment, the walls of Constantinople were considered impregnable; the Turks unsuccessfully tried to capture it for several centuries. The fall of Constantinople began Ottoman Empire and it became the most important moment in the history of Turkish statehood.

“Basilica” did not serve its owners for long. The very next day after the start of its use, the first cracks appeared on the trunk, and after a few weeks it became completely unusable.

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The Archer self-propelled gun uses a Volvo A30D chassis with a 6x6 wheel arrangement. The chassis is equipped with a 340 horsepower diesel engine, which allows it to reach highway speeds of up to 65 km/h. It is worth noting that the wheeled chassis can move through snow up to one meter deep. If the wheels of the installation are damaged, the self-propelled gun can still move for some time.

A distinctive feature of the howitzer is that there is no need for additional crew numbers to load it. The crew cabin is armored to protect the crew from small arms fire and ammunition fragments.

9

"Msta-S" is designed to destroy tactical nuclear weapons, artillery and mortar batteries, tanks and other armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, manpower, air defense and missile defense systems, control posts, as well as to destroy field fortifications and impede the maneuvers of enemy reserves in the depth of his defense. It can fire at observed and unobserved targets from closed positions and direct fire, including work in mountain conditions. When firing, both shots from the ammunition rack and those fired from the ground are used, without loss in rate of fire.

Crew members communicate using 1B116 internal telephone equipment for seven subscribers. External communication is carried out using the R-173 VHF radio station (range up to 20 km).

TO additional equipment self-propelled guns include: automatic PPO 3-fold action with control equipment 3ETs11-2; two filter ventilation units; self-entrenchment system mounted on the lower frontal sheet; TDA, powered by the main engine; system 902V “Tucha” for firing 81-mm smoke grenades; two tank degassing devices (TDP).

8 AS-90

Self-propelled artillery installation on a tracked chassis with a rotating turret. The hull and turret are made of 17 mm steel armor.

The AS-90 replaced all other types of artillery in the British Army, both self-propelled and towed, with the exception of the L118 light towed howitzers and MLRS and were used in combat during the Iraq War.

7 Krab (based on AS-90)

The SPH Krab is a 155 mm NATO compatible self-propelled howitzer manufactured in Poland by the Produkcji Wojskowej Huta Stalowa Wola center. The self-propelled gun is a complex symbiosis of the Polish RT-90 tank chassis (with an S-12U engine), an artillery unit from the AS-90M Braveheart with a 52-caliber barrel, and its own (Polish) Topaz fire control system. The 2011 version of the SPH Krab uses a new gun barrel from Rheinmetall.

The SPH Krab was immediately created with the ability to fire in modern modes, that is, for the MRSI mode (multiple projectiles of simultaneous impact), including. As a result, SPH Krab, within 1 minute in MRSI mode, fires 5 shells at the enemy (that is, at the target) within 30 seconds, after which it leaves firing position. Thus, the enemy gets the complete impression that 5 self-propelled guns are firing at him, and not just one.

6 M109A7 "Paladin"

Self-propelled artillery unit on a tracked chassis with a rotating turret. The hull and turret are made of rolled aluminum armor, which provides fire protection small arms and fragments of field artillery shells.

In addition to the United States, it became the standard self-propelled gun of NATO countries, was also supplied in significant quantities to a number of other countries and was used in many regional conflicts.

5PLZ05

The self-propelled gun turret is welded from rolled armor plates. Two four-barreled smoke grenade launcher units are installed on the front of the turret to create smoke screens. In the rear part of the hull there is a hatch for the crew, which can be used to replenish ammunition while feeding ammunition from the ground into the loading system.

PLZ-05 is equipped automatic system loading a gun developed on the basis of the Russian Msta-S self-propelled gun. The rate of fire is 8 rounds per minute. The howitzer gun has a caliber of 155 mm and a barrel length of 54 calibers. The gun's ammunition is located in the turret. It consists of 30 rounds of 155 mm caliber and 500 rounds of ammunition for a 12.7 mm machine gun.

4

155 mm self-propelled howitzer The Type 99 is a Japanese self-propelled howitzer in service with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. It replaced the obsolete Type 75 self-propelled gun.

Despite the interests of the armies of several countries in the self-propelled gun, the sale of copies of this howitzer abroad was prohibited by Japanese law.

3

The K9 Thunder self-propelled gun was developed in the mid-90s of the last century by the Samsung Techwin corporation by order of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Korea, in addition to the K55\K55A1 self-propelled guns in service with their subsequent replacement.

In 1998, the Korean government entered into a contract with the Samsung Techwin corporation for the supply of self-propelled guns, and in 1999 the first batch of K9 Thunder was delivered to the customer. In 2004, Türkiye bought a production license and also received a batch of K9 Thunder. A total of 350 units have been ordered. The first 8 self-propelled guns were built in Korea. From 2004 to 2009, 150 self-propelled guns were delivered to the Turkish army.

2

Developed at the Nizhny Novgorod Central Research Institute "Burevestnik". The 2S35 self-propelled gun is designed to destroy tactical nuclear weapons, artillery and mortar batteries, tanks and other armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, manpower, air defense and missile defense systems, command posts, as well as to destroy field fortifications and impede the maneuvers of enemy reserves in the depths of their defense . On May 9, 2015, the new self-propelled howitzer 2S35 “Coalition-SV” was officially presented for the first time at the Parade in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

According to Ministry of Defense estimates Russian Federation In terms of the range of characteristics, the 2S35 self-propelled gun is 1.5-2 times superior to similar systems. Compared to the M777 towed howitzers and M109 self-propelled howitzers in service with the US Army, the Coalition-SV self-propelled howitzer has a higher degree of automation, increased rate of fire and firing range, meeting modern requirements for combined arms combat.

1

Self-propelled artillery unit on a tracked chassis with a rotating turret. The hull and turret are made of steel armor, providing protection against bullets of up to 14.5 mm caliber and fragments of 152 mm shells. It is possible to use dynamic protection.

The PzH 2000 is capable of firing three rounds in nine seconds or ten in 56 seconds at a range of up to 30 km. The howitzer holds a world record - at a training ground in South Africa she fired a V-LAP projectile at 56 km ( active-missile projectile with improved aerodynamics).

Based on all the indicators, the PzH 2000 is considered the most advanced serial self-propelled gun in the world. The self-propelled guns have earned extremely high ratings from independent experts; Thus, Russian specialist O. Zheltonozhko defined it as a reference system for the present time, which all manufacturers of self-propelled artillery systems are guided by.

Military history has a huge number of memorable facts, which include the creation of weapons, which to this day amaze with the scope of engineering thought and their size. Over the entire existence of artillery, several artillery pieces of impressive dimensions were created. Of these, the most outstanding in size can be noted:

• Little David;
• Tsar Cannon;
• Dora;
• Charles;
• Big Bertha;
• 2B2 Oka;
• Saint-Chamond;
• Rodman;
• Capacitor.

Little David

"Little David", made by the Americans at the end of World War II, is an experimental model of a 914 mm mortar. Even in our time, it is the largest cannon in the world, a record holder among large-caliber ones.

Tsar Cannon

The Tsar Cannon, created by master Andrei Chokhov in 1586, is cast in bronze and has a large caliber of 890 mm.

In fact, the cannon never fired, even despite the legends that say it was shot with the ashes of False Dmitry. As a detailed study of the gun shows, it was not completed, and the ignition hole was never drilled. The cannonballs from which the pedestal for the Tsar Cannon is made today were not actually intended to be fired from it. The cannon was supposed to fire “shots”, which were stone cannonballs with a total weight of up to 800 kilograms. That is why its early name sounds like “Russian Shotgun”.

Dora

The brainchild of the German plant "Krupp" of the late thirties of the last century, named after the wife of the chief designer, is called "Dora" and is a super-heavy railway artillery gun from the Second World War. This is the largest cannon of the German army.

Its caliber is 800 mm, and its large-caliber charge was impressive in the destruction after the shot. However, it did not differ in shooting accuracy, and it was not possible to fire many shots, because the costs of its use were not justified.

Charles

In the Second world war The German heavy self-propelled mortar “Karl” was destined to distinguish itself with its outstanding power, the large caliber of which was its main value, amounting to 600 mm.

Tsar Cannon (Perm)

The Perm Tsar Cannon, made of cast iron, has a caliber of 508 mm and, unlike its namesake, is still a military weapon.

The manufacture of the cannon dates back to 1868, and the order for it was issued to the Motovilikha Iron Cannon Factory by the Ministry of the Navy.

Big Bertha

The Big Bertha mortar, with a caliber of 420 mm and a firing range of 14 kilometers, is remembered as the largest artillery piece of the First World War.

It is famous for breaking through even two-meter concrete floors, and fifteen thousand fragments from its fragmentation shells could fly up to two kilometers. In total, no more than nine examples were built of the “fort killers,” as the “Big Bertha” was also called. Having a fairly large caliber, the gun was capable of firing with a frequency of one shot every eight minutes, and to soften the recoil, an anchor attached to the frame, which was buried in the ground, was used.

Oka

The Soviet-developed 2B2 “Oka”, with a 420mm caliber, could fire one shot with a range of twenty-five kilometers in five minutes. The active-reactive mine flew twice as far and weighed 670 kg. The shooting was carried out using nuclear charges.

However, as practice has shown, the possibility of long-term operation was complicated by too strong recoil. This was the reason for the refusal to put the gun into mass production, and only one “Oka” remained in the metal version. This is despite the fact that only four copies were produced.

Saint-Chamond

In May 1915, the front saw eight French railway guns from the Schneider-Creusot company.

Their creation was the responsibility of a special commission formed by the French government in 1914, from which large arms concerns received an offer to develop large-caliber guns for railway transporters. Especially powerful guns 400 mm caliber, which were produced by the Saint-Chamon company, took part in hostilities a little later than their predecessors from Schneider-Creusot.

Rodman

In the nineteenth century, new types of weapons began to appear in the form of armored trains and armored ships. To combat them, in 1863, the Rodman Columbiad gun was manufactured, weighing 22.6 tons. The barrel caliber was 381 mm. The name of the gun was taken in honor of an early example of a similar type.

Capacitor

The parade, which took place on Red Square in 1957, is notable for the fact that the Condenser self-propelled artillery unit (SAU 2A3) marched in the column of troops.

Its considerable caliber (406 mm) and impressive dimensions made a splash at the parade. Experts from other countries began to suspect that in fact the equipment shown at the parade was purely of a sham nature and was intended to intimidate, but in reality it was real combat installation, which was also shot at the training ground.

Combat artillery - one of the three oldest branches of the military - throughout its existence has known examples of the creation of unique weapons. Huge, powerful, unprecedented, they were announced as they were and almost always remained out of action. Most likely, they were intended as an indicator military power powers, a demonstration of engineering genius.

Giant caliber

There are several lists according to which different guns occupy the first place in the list of “The largest cannon in the world.” Unsurpassed to this day in caliber (914 mm, which is 36 inches) is the American experimental mortar (a gun with a short barrel for mounted shooting) called “Little David”. This amazing miracle weapon never left the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Very soon, due to lack of demand, it became a museum exhibit.

“A very timid old lady. And I can’t believe it’s a cannon!”

Next to this monster is listed on the list (a photo of this unique symbol of Russia is attached). Its caliber is 890 mm, or 35 inches.

This bombard, cast in bronze by the Russian master Andrei Chokhov in 1586, is a monument to foundry and artillery art. It was made at the Cannon Yard for the glory of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich and, obviously, to intimidate enemies who would have to flee upon hearing about the size and capabilities of the cannon. Through research in 1980, Serpukhov specialists managed to establish that one shell was fired from the gun. But this beauty is, literally and figuratively, a symbol of the greatness of Russian weapons. One of the most striking sights (photos show the constant crowd of people at the gun carriage), along with the Tsar Bell, has been associated in the minds of Russians since childhood with the greatness and invincibility of Russia. This Russian shotgun, as it was called in the old days, has a mass of 39.31 tons and a length of 5.34 meters. The gun is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It can be added that the sketches were drawn by A.P. Bryullov, professor of architecture and elder brother of the legendary Karl Bryullov, the drawings were made by engineer de Witte.

Used only once

Third on this list is a monster car named after the chief designer’s wife, “Dora.” This is truly the world's largest cannon in terms of size and weight. Under the leadership of Professor Erich Müller, a unique miracle of artillery art was created at the Krupp concern plant in 1930, by personal order of Adolf Hitler. This weapon, huge, expensive and, in principle, useless, was used only once during the assault on Sevastopol in 1942, when the city resisted the most powerful army in the world for 250 days. It, despite its terrifying appearance, did not demonstrate any merits. And the legendary one is included in all textbooks.

And “Dora” is too tough

Combat battery No. 30 named after Maxim Gorky, according to the Germans themselves, made it possible to delay the capture of the city for six months. This fort, as the Germans called the battery, was recognized by them as “a true masterpiece of engineering.” Never in the entire history of war have the fascist invaders used artillery in such quantities. To break the unprecedented resistance of the Russians, the German Dora cannon was delivered here. The monster weapon, developed by the Krupp concern plant, was manufactured on the personal instructions of Adolf Hitler specifically for the destruction of the heavily fortified Maginot Line. She was not involved there. She was taken to Crimea to participate in an operation code-named “Fire tornado during Sturgeon Fishing.”

Amazing options

The 807 mm gun was a miracle of artillery art. A unique super-heavy hulk that moves on rails, the world's largest cannon has not found a worthy and wide application, because her advantages became disadvantages.

One shell weighed 7100 kilograms. At the same time, the length of the trunk reached 32 meters. The firing range was 25 kilometers, “beyond the horizon,” which made hitting the target rare. Only once did Dora cause more or less noticeable damage - it destroyed an ammunition depot. Moreover, to service the monster, which had a total length of 50 meters and a height of 11 meters with the barrel down, and 35 with the barrel up, in addition to a crew of 4,139 soldiers, civilians, officers and a gun commander with the rank of colonel, transport and security battalions, a commandant’s office, and a camouflage unit were needed company, bakery and

Terrifying and useless

The history of artillery has never known such parameters that made it cumbersome, poorly maneuverable, unprotected, surprisingly costly and completely ineffective.

This “heavy-duty” weapon was installed on a special platform moving on rails spaced 6 meters apart. "Dora" did not play any significant role in the capture of Sevastopol. Nevertheless, it was moved near Leningrad in order to suppress the heroic city. But even here it did not find application. Adolf Hitler had plans to destroy the British naval base on Gibraltar, but they were abandoned due to the impossibility of delivering the giant. At the end of the war, at that time the largest cannon in the world was actually blown up by the Germans in Bavaria, 36 kilometers from the city of Auerbach.

It can be added that the clumsy "Dora" had a twin brother, "Fat Gustav", designed in 1930. By the end of the war, parts were also made for the third ingloriously dead monster.