15 cm SK L/40 naval gun
Naval gun
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The 15 cm SK L/40[Note 1] was a German naval gun that was used as secondary armament on pre-dreadnought battleships, protected cruisers and armored cruisers of the Imperial German Navy in World War I. It was also used as a coast-defence gun during World Wars I and II.
Austria-Hungary
The Netherlands
Nazi Germany
Portugal
| 15 cm SK L/40 | |
|---|---|
A 15 cm SK L/40 gun aboard the German auxiliary cruiser SMS Wolf circa. 1916â18 | |
| Type | Naval gun Coast-defence gun |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1898â1945 |
| Used by | German Empire Austria-Hungary The Netherlands Nazi Germany Portugal |
| Wars | World War I World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Krupp |
| Designed | 1897 |
| Manufacturer | Krupp |
| Variants | No.2, No.3, No.4, No.5 Krupp 15 cm L/40 K94 Å koda 15 cm L/40 K96 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4,460 kg (9,830 lb) |
| Length | 6 m (19 ft 8 in) |
| Barrel length | 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in) |
| Shell | Separate-loading, cased charge |
| Caliber | 149.1 millimeters (5.87 in) |
| Breech | horizontal sliding breech block |
| Elevation | -7° to +20° |
| Traverse | -150° to +150° |
| Rate of fire | 4-5 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 800 m/s (2,600 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 13.7 km (8.5 mi) at 20°. |
Construction
The 15 cm SK L/40 gun was constructed of A tube, two layers of hoops and used a Krupp horizontal sliding-wedge breech block. It used separate loading metallic cased propellant charges and projectiles. 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. The guns were often mounted in single casemates or single turrets amidships. In addition to guns produced for the Imperial German Navy comparable export models were produced for the Royal Netherlands Navy and produced under license by Å koda for the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
| Export Models | No.2 | No.3 | No.4 | No.5 | Krupp 15 cm L/40 K94 | Å koda 15 cm L/40 K96 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Users | Netherlands | Netherlands | Netherlands | Netherlands | Austria-Hungary | Austria-Hungary |
| Weight | 4,420 kg (9,740 lb) | 4,850 kg (10,690 lb) | 5,200 kg (11,500 lb) | 4,880 kg (10,760 lb) | 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) | 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) |
| Rifling Length | 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) | 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) | 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) |
| Muzzle Velocity | 680 m/s (2,200 ft/s) | 680 m/s (2,200 ft/s) | 850 m/s (2,800 ft/s) | 745 m/s (2,440 ft/s) | 690 m/s (2,300 ft/s) | 690 m/s (2,300 ft/s) |
Naval Use
Ship classes that carried the 15 cm SK L/40 include:
- German:
- Austrian:
- Dutch:
- Holland-class cruiser No. 2 and No. 3[1]
- Koningin Regentes-class coastal defense ship No. 4[2]
- HNLMS Marten Harpertszoon Tromp No. 5[2]
- HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck No. 5[2]
- HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën No. 5[2]
- Ottoman:
- China:
- Haiyung class protected cruiser
Ammunition
Ammunition was of separate loading quick fire type. The projectiles were 39â46.5 cm (1â2 ft) long with a cartridge case and bagged charge which weighed 10 kg (22 lb).
The gun was able to fire:
- Armor Piercing 51 kg (112 lb)
- High Explosive Base Fuzed 45 kg (99 lb)
- High Explosive Nose Fuzed 45 kg (99 lb)
- Common Shell Nose Fuzed 45 kg (99 lb)[Note 2]
See also
- List of naval guns
- Battery Lothringen
- 15 cm L/40 Feldkanone i.R.
- 15 cm K (E)
- QF 6 inch /40 naval gun British equivalent, firing slightly heavier shell
- 6"/40 caliber gun US equivalent, firing slightly heavier shell
Notes
- SK - Schnelladekanone (quick loading cannon); L - Länge in Kaliber (length in caliber)
- World War I Ammunition
