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German naval gun From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 24 cm K L/35 was a German naval gun developed in the years before World War I that armed ships of the Imperial German Navy, Argentine Navy and the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Guns removed from ships of the Imperial German Navy were modified to perform Coastal Artillery and Railway Artillery roles and saw service in both world wars.
24 cm K L/35 | |
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![]() One of the four 24 cm L/35 guns of battery No4 at Puerto Belgrano. | |
Type | Naval gun Coastal artillery Railway gun |
Place of origin | German Empire |
Service history | |
In service | 1890–1945 |
Used by | German Empire Argentina Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire |
Wars | Boxer Rebellion World War I World War II |
Production history | |
Designer | Krupp |
Designed | 1888 |
Manufacturer | Krupp |
Produced | 1888 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 21.5 t (23.7 short tons) |
Length | 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in) |
Barrel length | 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) |
Shell | Separate loading bagged charges and projectiles |
Shell weight | 140–215 kg (309–474 lb) |
Caliber | 24 cm (9.4 in) 35 caliber |
Breech | Cylindro-prismatic breech block |
Elevation | -4° to +25° |
Traverse | -150° to +150° |
Rate of fire | 2 rpm |
Muzzle velocity | 580–650 m/s (1,900–2,100 ft/s) |
Maximum firing range | 13 km (8.1 mi) at +25°[1] |
In the early 1870s there were two Krupp 24 cm naval guns: the 24 cm RK L/20 and the 24 cm RK L/22. The first major changes to their design came with the 24 cm MRK L/25. This gun was first tested in December 1875 as a L/22 gun with a caliber of 240 mm instead of 235.4 mm. It also used a charge that was about 60% higher.[2]
Other innovations that the L/25 brought were heavier projectiles and projectiles that used copper driving bands. In all probability, this gun was already a Mantel Ring Kanone, i.e. hooped and jacketed instead of only hooped like a Ring Kanone (RK). Even the prototype of this gun was thought to be 40% more powerful than the original 24 cm RK L/22.[3]
The 24 cm MRK L/25.5 was designed to use even higher charges than the previous L/25. This idea was based on advances in gunpowder technology which led to lower peak pressures. The final form of the prismatic gunpowder C/75 (density 1.75) that the heavier Krupp guns in German service would use was determined in October 1875.[4] Problems arose when the density of this gunpowder proved to vary between 1.70 and 1.80, leading to dangerous situations.[5] After this had been solved, it proved that the way the gunpowder was packed in bags was also important.[6]
When the 24 cm MRK L/25.5 first appeared at a test in Essen in December 1878, Krupp's plans for the gun were not clear. The most notable feature was a doubled charge of 78 kg instead of only 39 kg of gunpowder. The result was a spectacular improvement, as a 160.5 kg grenade was propelled to a velocity of 583 m/s instead of only 473 m/s for the L/25.[7]
The final idea behind the 24 cm MRK L/25.5 became clear during a series of trials in Meppen in August 1879. By then, Krupp had made a 15 cm MRK L/28 that fired very long L/4 projectiles. During the trials it became known that similar projectiles were still under test for the 24 cm MRK L/25.5. During the August 1879 tests, the old projecitles that the gun fired, were propelled by a charge of 75 kg of guncpowder, which gave a velocity of 573 m/s.[8]
In 1888 Krupp designed the 24 cm K L/35 and started production to arm two classes of the Imperial German Navy's coastal defense ships. Krupp also produced guns for export that armed one class of coastal defense ships for Argentina and one class of protected cruisers and one unique armored cruiser for Austria-Hungary. The Ottoman Osmaniye-class ironclads were rearmed with these guns in the early 1890s.[9]
The 24 cm K L/35 was the primary armament of the Siegfried-class and Odin-class coastal defense ships of the Imperial German Navy.[10]
The 24 cm K L/35 was also the primary armament of the Argentine Navy's Independencia-class coastal defense ships.
The 24 cm K L/35 was the primary armament of the Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class of protected cruisers and the unique armored cruiser SMS Kaiserin und Königin Maria Theresia.
During 1916 the Odin-class ships were decommissioned and disarmed. The 24 cm K L/35 guns salvaged from these ships were converted to coastal artillery. Three guns were emplaced at Battery Bremen on Norderney and three guns were emplaced at Battery S1 on Sylt.[11] They remained there until the late 1930s.[citation needed]
There are currently four guns belonging to battery No4 at Puerto Belgrano, Argentina.[12]
Ottoman Empire purchased thirty 24 cm K L/35 guns during the 1880s and a number of these engaged the allied naval forces during the Gallipoli campaign.[12]
In the Netherlands, the artificial island fortress Pampus was built to block the approach to Amsterdam from the Zuiderzee It was armed with four 24 cm K L/35. This was a very powerful fortress, because the guns were protected by armored cupolas. The four guns cost 225,000 guilders. The two armored cupolas were ordered at Gruson for 953,000 guilders. The four carriages were also ordered at Gruson and cost 147,000 guilders.[13] These carriages were minimal port carriages, which allowed a minimal embrasure.[14]
Pampus was supported by two batteries which were only covered by earthworks. North of Pampus, at Durgerdam there was a battery of three 24 cm K L/35. South of it was Fort Diemerdam with three 24 cm K L/35.[15] In 1895 three emplacements for 24 cm K L/35 were made near Den Helder. There was speculation that the three guns from Diemerdam would be moved there.[16] In 1904 three emplacements for 24 cm K L/35 were made on the western side of Oostbatterij at Den Helder. The three 24 cm K L/35 from Durgerdam were to be moved to this position.[17]
Beginning in 1937 the six guns at Norderny and Sylt were converted to railway artillery and were collectively known as 24 cm Theodor Bruno Kanone (E). During the Battle of France Theodor Brunos equipped three batteries of two guns each. Later one battery of four guns defended Cherbourg Naval Base from 1941 until June 1944 when they were destroyed during the Battle of Cherbourg.[18]
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