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21 cm SK L/45

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21 cm SK L/45
TypeNaval gun
Railway gun
Coastal artillery
Place of originGerman Empire
Service history
In service1909-1945
Used by German Empire
 Nazi Germany
WarsWorld War I
World War II
Production history
DesignerKrupp
Designed1905
ManufacturerKrupp
No. built16
Variants21 cm SK "Peter Adalbert"
Specifications
Mass16.4 t (18.1 short tons)
Length9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Barrel length8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)

ShellSeparate loading cased ammunition
Shell weight108–113.5 kg (238–250 lb)
Caliber210 mm (8.3 in) 45 caliber
BreechHorizontal sliding-wedge breech block
Elevation-5° to +30°
TraverseForward and aft turrets: -150° to +150°
Beam turrets: +30° to +150°
Rate of fire4-6 rpm
Muzzle velocity900 m/s (3,000 ft/s)
Maximum firing rangeNaval: 19 km (12 mi) at +30°
Coastal Artillery: 29 km (18 mi) at +45°

The 21 cm Schnelladekanone Länge 45, abbreviated as 21 cm SK L/45 was a German naval gun developed in the years before World War I that armed the armored cruiser SMS Blücher of the Imperial German Navy. During World War I spare guns were converted to railway guns and later employed as coastal artillery during World War II.[1]

History

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The 21 cm SK L/45 was the primary armament of the armored cruiser SMS Blücher. Krupp produced a total of sixteen guns, twelve of which were installed in six twin DRL C/06 turrets, one pair fore and one pair aft, and two pairs in wing turrets on either side of the superstructure, each weighing 200 t (220 short tons). The guns were supplied with a total of 1,020 shells, or 85 rounds per gun.[2] After the sinking of the SMS Blücher during the Battle of Dogger Bank, the four spare guns were given to the Imperial German Army.[3] The 21 cm SK L/45s, together with earlier 21 cm SK L/40s salvaged from decommissioned cruisers were converted to railway guns, where they were referred to collectively as the 21 cm SK "Peter Adalbert". During the Second World War, these same guns were reemployed by coastal artillery units of the Wehrmacht. During World War II they were supplied with improved shells and larger propellant charges for increased range.

Construction

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The 21 cm SK L/45 was constructed of A tube, two layers of hoops, a jacket and used a horizontal sliding-wedge breech block. Unlike other large naval guns of the time, which used separate loading bagged charges and ammunition, the 21 cm SK L/45 used separate loading ammunition with charges inside of a brass cartridge case to provide obturation.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 21 cm/45 (8.27") SK L/45 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  2. ^ Gröner, Erich (1990). German warships, 1815-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9780870217906. OCLC 434152478.
  3. ^ Friedman, Norman (2011-01-01). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
  4. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 21 cm/45 (8.27") SK L/45 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-07.

Bibliography

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