20.3 cm SK C/34 naval gun

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20 cm SK C/34 naval gun
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Four turrets seen aboard Admiral Hipper was the standard mounting of 20 cm SK C/34 guns.
Type Naval gun
Coast defence gun
Place of origin Germany
Service history
In service 1939 - 1945[1]
Used by 22x20px Kriegsmarine
Wars Second World War
Specifications
Weight 20.7 tonnes[2]
Length 12 meters (40 feet)[2]

Shell 122 kilograms (269 lb)[2]
Caliber 8-inch (20 cm)[2]
Muzzle velocity 925 meters per second (3000 ft/sec)[2]
Maximum range 33 km (21 miles)[2]

The 20 cm SK C/34 naval gun was the main battery gun used on all German World War II heavy cruisers.

Description

These built-up guns consisted of a rifled tube encased within an inner and outer jacket with a horizontal sliding breech block. The breech was sealed with an 18 kg (40 lb) brass case containing 30 kg (66 lb) of smokeless powder with a 160 gram (5.6 oz) gunpowder igniter. A cloth bag containing an additional 21 kg (40 lb) of smokeless powder and 380 grams (13 oz) of gunpowder was loaded between the projectile and the brass case. Each gun could fire approximately five rounds per minute. Useful life expectancy was 510 effective full charges (EFC) per barrel.[2]

Naval service

Admiral Hipper, Blücher, and Prinz Eugen each mounted eight of these guns in 248-tonne Drh LC/34 twin turrets with a maximum elevation of 37 degrees.[2]

Coast defence guns

Two turrets intended for the incomplete cruiser Seydlitz were installed as coastal artillery on Ile de Croix.[2]

Shell trajectory

Range[2] Elevation Time of flight Descent Impact velocity
5 km (3 miles) 1° 54′ 6 sec 2° 6′ 744 m/s (2440 ft/s)
10 km (6 miles) 4° 24′ 14 sec 6° 6′ 587 m/s (1930 ft/s)
15 km (9 miles) 8° 6′ 23 sec 12° 48′ 463 m/s (1520 ft/s)
20 km (12 miles) 13° 18′ 36 sec 23° 36′ 382 m/s (1250 ft/s)
25 km (15 miles) 20° 18′ 51 sec 36° 48′ 353 m/s (1160 ft/s)
30 km (18 miles) 29° 6′ 69 sec 48° 48′ 363 m/s (1190 ft/s)

See also

Notes

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References

  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4. 
  • Whitley, M.J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two. Brockhampton Press. ISBN 1-86019-8740. 

External links

  1. Whitley 1995 p.57
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Campbell 1985 pp.235-237