Last updated 18 Marts 2002

After, When Skoda resumed production for the Czech army, the vz14 was one of the first weapons placed back into production. However, the opportunity was taken to modernize the design, the main change being in the barrel length that was increased from 19 to 24 calibers. This improved the range and new ammunition was also introduced to provide the new design, soon known as the 100mm houfnice vz14/19 with an improved all around performance. The vz 14/19 was soon in demand and numbers were exported to Greece, Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia. Italy also acquired the parts to modernize their modello 14s and the Czech army adopted the vz14/19 as its standard field piece. The vz14/19 became one of the most important Central European field pieces and by 1939 the howitzer was in service in the thousands. It was a stout weapon with few design frills and was capable of prolonged hard use. Many of the Italian models were fitted with rubber tired wheels for motor traction, but many examples retained their spoked wheels and were pulled into action by horse teams.

After 1940, many vz14/19s passed into German army service. The Czech army stocks had by then already passed into German hands and the vz14/19 was widely used by the Germans in the May-June 1940 French campaign. Many more were used during the initial invasion of the Soviet Union, but thereafter the vz14/19s were relegated to second line use and many were incorporated into the Atlantic Wall defenses where they remained until 1945.

~~ Jeffrey Goldstein

All pages and Graphic on Builders Paradise are copyrighted (c) by LHJWORLD (TM) 2002