M-1978 Koksan (scratch project)

[PacificWind]

Interesting analysis, Karol.
Here're are two great photos. Many details can be seen. Looks like the gun is on rails so it can be moved forward & backward.
For sure, I'll gather as many informations as possible before I start the "Koksan" part.

[PacificWind]

And here's more progress with the project.
Second part of the road wheels is almost done. They just need rubber rims.

[gotham]

Maybe the sign says "Point this way" ?

[Butelczynski]

I'm just an "armchair gun bunny" lol

I think gun on pictures has some parts removed,nothing new I guess.

It also shows some traverse possible but the way gun is constructed using it would shorten life of system considerably.Those rails are only for moving gun from "marching" to firing positions and anchors on those have to be re-checked every so often.It's nice to have self-propelled artillery but that creates a very long list of potential problems towed guns don't have.

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by PacificWind

Interesting analysis, Karol.
Here're are two great photos. Many details can be seen. Looks like the gun is on rails so it can be moved forward & backward.
For sure, I'll gather as many informations as possible before I start the "Koksan" part.

That's exactly what it looks like. My guess is that for transport the gun is moved forward closer to the centre of gravity of the vehicle and the spades are swung up over the rear of the hull. The problem of moving a heavy gun on a tracked chassis has been around ever since 1918 when the first SPGs were built with heavy guns - images are of the first Saint-Chamond heavy SPG of 1918 with a 220mm howitzer.

Towed artillery has a list of problems which became all to apparent in WW1. Towing over bad ground can be very problematic and great care has to be taken to avoid damaging the gun. Towed guns take a certain time to come into action (usually minutes) when they arrive at the battery location and the guns are vulnerable to counter-battery fire. SPGs are very fast to come into action and are fairly immune to counter-battery fire - most modern SPGs can have 3 - 5 rounds in the air and the vehicle moving before the first round lands.

The M1978 traverse doesn't seem to be recorded anywhere but the somewhat similar Russian 203mm 2S7 Pion has a 30 degree traverse. Looking at the angle of the spades I'd estimate the gun can traverse at least 10 degrees each side.


Regards,


Charlie

[rockpaperscissor]

The wheels look great. Will be watching with interest.

[PacificWind]

I've found some new photos. It's quite difficult to search through Korean language but somehow I managed to get these pictures below.

That's not everything, I also know the answer what's written on the sign.
I asked Dong-Woo Kang from South Korea(our forum member, N96HBK) and he explained the writing is: 주체포(juchepo/juche-po). It is the official North Korean name of this artillery. "Juche" part is probably a reference to the NK national ideology created by Kim Il-sung.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche). "Po" part means cannon/artillery. It makes sense. An artillery that fires DPRK's ideology shells... Sounds dumb but in North Korea everything is possible.

[PacificWind]

And here's the work update.
Road wheels are finished.

[PacificWind]

Road wheels are in position.

[Vinalssergio155]

They look great Kacper, very good job.