Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97
The Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 was an Austro-Hungarian naval gun developed in the years before World War I that armed a class of pre-dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The actual bore diameter was 23.8 cm (9.4 in), but the classification system for artillery rounded up to the next highest centimeter.
| Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1904-1918 |
| Used by | Austria-Hungary |
| Wars | World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Krupp |
| Designed | 1897 |
| Manufacturer | Škoda |
| Produced | 1904 |
| Variants | Škoda 24 cm L/40 K/01 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | K97: 28.3 t (31.2 short tons) K/01: 28.6 t (31.5 short tons) |
| Length | 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Barrel length | 8.8 m (28 ft 10 in) |
| Shell | Separate loading cased charges and projectiles |
| Shell weight | 229 kg (505 lb) |
| Caliber | 24 cm (9.4 in) 40 caliber |
| Breech | Horizontal sliding-wedge |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic |
| Elevation | -4° to +20° |
| Traverse | -130° to +130° |
| Rate of fire | K97: 2 rpm K/01: 2.5 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | K97: 705 m/s (2,310 ft/s) K/01: 725 m/s (2,380 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 12 km (7.5 mi) at +16.25°[1] |
History Edit
The origins of the Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 lay in an earlier gun designed and built by the Krupp company in Germany. In 1894 Krupp designed the 24 cm SK L/40 and started production in 1898 for the Imperial German Navy's pre-dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers. Krupp produced a variant of the 24 cm SK L/40 for the Austro-Hungarian Navy called the 24 cm L/40 K94 which armed their armored cruiser SMS Kaiser Karl VI, the pre-dreadnought Habsburg-class battleships and the Monarch-class coastal defense ships. In 1897 Škoda bought a production license from Krupp and began production in 1904 at the Pilsen works of the Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 and later the Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01.[2] Both Germany and Austria-Hungary developed their own ammunition with differing weights and lengths, however their ballistic performance was similar.
Construction Edit
The 24 cm SK L/40 was the first large caliber German naval gun to use a Krupp horizontal sliding-wedge breech block and separate loading metallic cased propellant charges and projectiles.[2] 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. It is believed that the K94 and the K97 were both constructed of A tube, three layers of reinforcing hoops and a jacket.[3]
Edit
The Škoda 24 cm L/40 K97 was the primary armament of the Erzherzog Karl-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The Krupp built K94 guns of the unique armored cruiser SMS Kaiser Karl VI were later replaced with Škoda built K97 guns during a refit in 1916. While the Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01 armed the unique armored cruiser SMS Sankt Georg.[2]
- Ship details:
- Erzherzog Karl-class - The three ships of this class had a primary armament of four guns, which were mounted in two twin gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.
- SMS Kaiser Karl VI - This ship had a primary armament of two K94 guns later replaced with K97 guns, which were mounted in two single gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.
- SMS Sankt Georg - This ship had a primary armament of two Škoda designed 24 cm L/40 K/01 guns, which were mounted in two single gun turrets, one fore and one aft of the central superstructure.
Bibliography Edit
- Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
References Edit
- ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Austria-Hungary 24 cm/40 (9.4") K94 and K97 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- ^ a b c Friedman, Norman (2011-01-01). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
- ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 24 cm/40 (9.4") SK L/40 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.