| 20.3 cm SK C/34 naval gun | |
|---|---|
Aft turrets of Prinz Eugen, Kiel, 1941
| |
| Type | Naval gun Coastal defence |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1939 – 1945[1] |
| Used by | Kriegsmarine |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 20.7 tonnes[2] |
| Length | 12.15 m (39.9 ft) (60 calibres)[2] |
| Shell | 122 kilograms (269 lb)[2] |
| Caliber | 20.3-centimetre (8 in)[2] |
| Elevation | -10° to +37° |
| Rate of fire | 4 – 5 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 925 m/s (3,030 ft/s)[2] |
| Maximum firing range | 33.5 km (20.8 mi)[2] |
The 20.3 cm SK C/34[Note 1] was the main battery gun used on the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers.
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]
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]
The four turrets intended for the incomplete cruiser Seydlitz were installed as coastal artillery in France. The turrets A (Anton) and D (Dora) at Battery Karola on the Ile de Re (4./Marine Artillerie Abteilung 282). And the turrets B (Bruno) and C (Cäsar) at Battery Seydlitz on the Ile de Croix (5./Marine Artillerie Abteilung 264).
Eight barrels from the incomplete cruiser were given to the army and followed rebuild to 20.3 cm K (E) railway guns.
| Range[2] | Elevation | Time of flight | Descent | Impact velocity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km (3.1 mi) | 1° 54′ | 6 sec | 2° 6′ | 744 m/s (2,440 ft/s) |
| 10 km (6.2 mi) | 4° 24′ | 14 sec | 6° 6′ | 587 m/s (1,930 ft/s) |
| 15 km (9.3 mi) | 8° 6′ | 23 sec | 12° 48′ | 463 m/s (1,520 ft/s) |
| 20 km (12 mi) | 13° 18′ | 36 sec | 23° 36′ | 382 m/s (1,250 ft/s) |
| 25 km (16 mi) | 20° 18′ | 51 sec | 36° 48′ | 353 m/s (1,160 ft/s) |
| 30 km (19 mi) | 29° 6′ | 69 sec | 48° 48′ | 363 m/s (1,190 ft/s) |
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German artillery of World War II
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| Tank guns |
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| Anti-tank guns |
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| Infantry and mountain guns |
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| Recoilless guns |
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| Mortars |
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| Heavy mortars |
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| Rocket artillery |
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| Field, medium and heavy guns |
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| Superheavy and siege artillery |
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| Railroad artillery |
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| Naval artillery |
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| Anti-aircraft guns |
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| Demolition charges |
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