Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97

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Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97
TypeNaval gun
Place of originGerman Empire
Service history
In service1904-1918
Used byAustria-Hungary
WarsWorld War I
Production history
DesignerKrupp
Designed1897
ManufacturerŠkoda
Produced1904
VariantsŠkoda 24 cm L/40 K/01
Specifications
MassK97: 28.3 t (31.2 short tons)
K/01: 28.6 t (31.5 short tons)
Length9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
Barrel length8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)
ShellSeparate loading cased charges and projectiles
Shell weight229 kg (505 lb)
Caliber24 cm (9.4 in) 40 caliber
BreechHorizontal sliding-wedge
RecoilHydro-pneumatic
Elevation-4° to +20°
Traverse-130° to +130°
Rate of fireK97: 2 rpm
K/01: 2.5 rpm
Muzzle velocityK97: 705 m/s (2,310 ft/s)
K/01: 725 m/s (2,380 ft/s)
Maximum firing range12 km (7.5 mi) at +16.25°[1]

The Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 was a Austro-Hungarian naval gun developed in the years before World War I that armed a class of pre-dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The actual bore diameter was 23.8 cm (9.4 in), but the classification system for artillery rounded up to the next highest centimeter.

History

The origins of the Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 lay in an earlier gun designed and built by the Krupp company in Germany. In 1894 Krupp designed the 24 cm SK L/40 and started production in 1898 for the Imperial German Navy's pre-dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers. Krupp produced a variant of the 24 cm SK L/40 for the Austro-Hungarian Navy called the 24 cm L/40 K94 which armed their armored cruiser SMS Kaiser Karl VI, the pre-dreadnought Habsburg-class battleships and the Monarch-class coastal defense ships. In 1897 Škoda bought a production license from Krupp and began production in 1904 at the Pilsen works of the Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 and later the Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01.[2] Both Germany and Austria-Hungary developed their own ammunition with differing weights and lengths, however their ballistic performance was similar.

Construction

The 24 cm SK L/40 was the first large caliber German naval gun to use a Krupp horizontal sliding-wedge breech block and separate loading metallic cased propellant charges and projectiles.[2] Unlike other large naval guns of the time which used separate loading bagged charges and projectiles, this gun used charges inside of a brass cartridge case to provide obturation. It is believed that the K94 and the K97 were both constructed of A tube, three layers of reinforcing hoops and a jacket.[3]

Naval Artillery

The Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 was the primary armament of the Erzherzog Karl-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The Krupp built K94 guns of the unique armored cruiser SMS Kaiser Karl VI were later replaced with Škoda built K97 guns during a refit in 1916. While the Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01 armed the unique armored cruiser SMS Sankt Georg.[2]

Ship details:
  • Erzherzog Karl-class - The three ships of this class had a primary armament of four guns, which were mounted in two twin gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.[4]
  • SMS Kaiser Karl VI - This ship had a primary armament of two K94 guns later replaced with K97 guns, which were mounted in two single gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.[5]
  • SMS Sankt Georg - This ship had a primary armament of two Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01 guns, which were mounted in two single gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.[6]

Bibliography

  • Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.

References

  1. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Austria-Hungary 24 cm/40 (9.4") K94 and K97 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  2. ^ a b c Friedman, Norman (2011-01-01). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
  3. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 24 cm/40 (9.4") SK L/40 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  4. ^ "ERZHERZOG KARL battleships (1906-1907) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-03-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  5. ^ "KAISER KARL IV armoured cruiser (1900) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-03-20. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  6. ^ "SANKT GEORG armoured cruiser (1905) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-03-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)

External links

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