Firing massive 7-ton shells, 'Heavy Gustav' was the largest gun ever built

When a gun needs a crew of 500 soldiers, you know it’s gotta pack some punch. The Schwerer Gustav, with its 7-ton shells, was the biggest gun made in World War II, and its size has not been surpassed since. Translated, it is the “Heavy Gustav”, and at around 1,400 tons, it was indeed very, very heavy. Watch the video below to see the biggest of big artillery pieces in action.

As the Germans planned for war in Europe, they wanted to come up with an answer for France’s Maginot Line. The French had built a series of bunkers and gun emplacements along its border and the Germans didn’t have weaponry to take on the fortifications. They came up with the Heavy Gustav, but it wasn’t required at the time, as their Panzer forces bypassed the French defenses by attacking through Belgium.

According to Rare Historical Photos, the gun, which sat on two railway tracks and had a barrel 155 feet long, didn’t fire a shot against the French but did see action on the Russian front. Sevastopol was shelled by the massive weapon during 1942. The enormous projectiles destroyed all the Russian guns and fortifications it was aimed at.

Check out the Schwerer Gustav in the video below, and SHARE if you’re intrigued at such colossal feats of engineering.