The «Schwerer Gustav» PVC patch

Schwerer Gustav (German for “Heavy Gustav”) was an enormous German railway gun developed by Krupp before and during WWII. It was the largest-caliber rifled weapon ever used in combat and the heaviest mobile artillery piece ever built. Designed to destroy heavily fortified targets, Gustav exemplified the extreme engineering ambition—and impracticality—of German “superweapons.”

Specifications

• Caliber: 800 mm

• Weight: ≈ 1,350 tons

• Projectile weight: 4.8 – 7.1 tons

• Barrel length: 32 m

• Crew: About 250 specialists to operate, plus thousands more for assembly, transport, and protection

• Rate of fire: 1 round every 30–45 minutes

• Range: Up to 47 km depending on shell type