10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun
The 10.5 cm SK L/45 (Schnelladekanone Länge 45, quick-loading cannon with a barrel length of 45 calibers) was a German naval gun that was used in World War I and World War II and was the successor of the older 10.5 cm SK L/40 naval gun.
| 10.5 cm SK L/45 | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1907–1945 |
| Used by | German Empire Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War I World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | About 1906–1907 |
| Manufacturer | Peddinghaus |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,450 kg (3,200 lb) |
| Length | 4.725 m (15 ft 6.0 in) |
| Width | 6.8 mm (0.27 in) |
| Shell | Fixed Brass Casing: 25.5 kg (56 lb) |
| Shell weight | 17.4 kg (38 lb) |
| Caliber | 10.5 cm (4.1 in) |
| Breech | Horizontal sliding-block |
| Elevation | Dependent on mounting:
|
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | 15 RPM |
| Muzzle velocity | 710 m/s (2,300 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 12,700 m (41,700 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | Horizontal: 12,700 m (13,900 yd) at 30° Vertical: 8,230 m (27,000 ft) at 80° |
Description
The 10.5 cm SK L/45 gun weighed 1,450 kilograms (3,200 lb), had an overall length of 472.5 cm (15 ft 6 in). It used a horizontal sliding-block breech design. Cradle is usually mounted on a conical pedestal mount, bolted to the submarine deck.
The guns were carefully designed according to the requirements of submarine operations and was therefore streamlined in design. Many items manufactured from brass to resist corrosion.[2]
It was used on many German and foreign ships like SMS Mowe and Ottomon cruiser Midilli.
Naval use
Gallery
See also
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun Approximate British equivalent firing slightly lighter shell
- 4"/50 caliber gun Approximate US equivalent, firing slightly lighter shell at higher velocity
References
- Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p. 249
- "10.5 cm SK L/45 Submarine Gun (Germany)". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
Bibliography
- Campbell, John (2002). Naval Weapons of World War Two. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Gander, Terry; Chamberlain, Peter (1979). Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939–1945. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-15090-3.
- Hogg, Ian V. (1997). German Artillery of World War Two (2nd corrected ed.). Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 1-85367-480-X.
- Rolf, Rudi (1998). Der Atlantikwall: Bauten der deutschen Küstenbefestigungen 1940-1945. Osnabrück: Biblio. ISBN 3-7648-2469-7.
- Rolf, Rudi (2004). A Dictionary on Modern Fortification: An Illustrated Lexicon on European Fortification in the Period 1800-1945. Middleburg, Netherlands: PRAK.