28 cm SK C/34 naval gun
| 28 cm SK C/34 naval gun | |
|---|---|
 Gun from Gneisenau being unloaded in Bergen, Norway, prior to installation at Fjell festning, late 1942-early 1943 | |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1934-43 |
| Used by | Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1934 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 123 kg (271 lb) |
| Length | 123 cm (48 in) |
| Barrel length | 123 cm (48 in) |
|
| |
| Caliber | 54.5 |
| Barrels | 1 |
| Muzzle velocity | 890 metres per second (2,900 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 18,300 metres (20,000 yd) |
The German 28 cm SK C/34[Note 1] naval gun was a 283 mm 54.5-caliber built-up gun designed in 1934 used on the Scharnhorst-class battleships.
History
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 ´(11.MAA 504) in Sotra, Norway (Bruno turret), at Batterie Oerlandat (4.MAA 507) in Austrått, Norway (Cesar turret), and guns from Anton turret were installed at Battery Rozenburg in the Netherlands.[2]
Characteristics
Effectiveness of the guns against armor in different situations:
| Distance | 0 | 7,900 m (8,600 yd) | 15,100 m (16,500 yd) | 18,288 m (20,000 yd) | 27,432 m (30,000 yd) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 890 m/s (2,900 ft/s) | 693 m/s (2,270 ft/s) | 552 m/s (1,810 ft/s) | 496 m/s (1,630 ft/s) | 420 m/s (1,400 ft/s) |
| Side armor belt penetration | 604 mm (20 in) | 460 mm (20 in) | 335 mm (10 in) | 291 mm (10 in) | 205 mm (8 in) |
| Deck armor penetration | - | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 41 mm (2 in) | 48 mm (2 in) | 76 mm (3 in) |
Ammunition
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 kg (660 lb) |
| Semi-armor piercing | 4.2 | 300 kg (660 lb) | |
| Igniting | 4.2 | 300 kg (660 lb) | |
| SK C/34 | Armor-piercing | 4.4 | 336 kg (741 lb) |
| Semi-armorpiercing | 4.4 | 316 kg (697 lb) | |
| Igniting | 4.5 | 315 kg (694 lb) |
Surviving examples
- 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
Footnotes
- Notes
- ↑ SK - Schnelladekanone (quick loading cannon); C - Construktionsjahr (year of design)
- Citations
- ↑ DiGiulian, Tony (9 October 2006). "Netherlands 28 cm/54.5 (11")". Navweaps.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ↑ DiGiulian
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 28 cm SK C/34. |
- DiGiulian, Tony (13 October 2006). "German 28 cm/54.5 (11") SK C/34". Navweaps.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.