28 cm SK C/34 naval gun

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The German 28 cm C/34 naval gun was a 283 mm 54.5-caliber built-up gun designed in 1934 used on the Scharnhorst class battleships.

History

File:28 cm sk c-34 unloaded in Bergen before shipping to Sotra and mounted on Fjell festning.jpg
Gun from Gneisenau being unloaded in Bergen, Norway, prior to installation at Fjell festning, late 1942-early 1943

The previous 28 cm gun was the SK C/28 used on the Deutschland class. The Scharnhorst class received an improved version of the SK C/28 which had a longer barrel—the SK C/34.

The 283 mm SK C/34 gun was relatively fast loading, compared with other armament of this size. It could deliver a shot every 17 seconds. The ballistic properties of the guns made them effective against the new French Dunkerque class, which had an armored belt 225-283 mm, barbettes of 310-340 mm, at standard fighting distances.

An improved version of the gun was planned to be mounted on the Netherlands' Design 1047 battlecruisers, but the ships were never begun due to the start of the Second World War.[1]

When Gneisenau was disarmed in 1942-43 her guns were redeployed for coast defence at Fjell festning in Sotra, Norway (Bruno turret), at Batterie Oerlandat in Austrått, Norway (Cesar turret), and guns from Anton turret were installed in Denmark and the Netherlands.[2]

Characteristics

Effectiveness of the guns against armor in different situations:

Distance[m] 0 7,900 15,100 18,288 27,432
Shooting angle[deg] 0 3.3 7.4 9.7 18.7
Shell hitting angle[deg] 0 4.4 10.3 15.2 30.2
Shell velocity at target[m/s] 890 693 552 496 420
Side armor belt penetration[mm] 604 460 335 291 205
Deck armor penetration[mm] - 19 41 48 76

Ammunition

File:Fjell festning granat.jpg
Coast-defence shell at Fjell festning in Sotra, Norway

Characteristics of SK C/28 and SK C/34 283 mm shells are in the table below:

Gun type Shell type Length(calibers) Total weight(kg)
SK C/28 Armor-piercing 3.7 300
Semi-armor piercing 4.2 300
Igniting 4.2 300
SK C/34 Armor-piercing 4.4 336
Semi-armorpiercing 4.4 316
Igniting 4.5 315


Surviving examples

File:Gneisenau-1.jpg
Gneisenau's Cäsar turret at Austrått fort, Ørlandet, Norway
  • Gneisenau's Cäsar turret with its 3 guns survives at Austrått fort, Ørlandet, Norway
  • Parts of the guns from Anton turret survive at former "Stichting Fort", Hoek Van Holland


See also

References

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External links

  1. DiGiulian, Tony (09 October 2006). "Netherlands 28 cm/54.5 (11")". Navweaps.com. Retrieved 29 March 2009.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. DiGiulian