8.8 cm SK L/30
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	German Empire
Service history
In service	1892–1945
Used by	German Empire  Nazi Germany
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designed	1890–1892
Specifications
Mass	644 kilograms (1,420 lb)
Length	about 2.64 meters (8 ft 8 in)
Shell	fixed
Shell weight	7 kilograms (15 lb)[1]
Caliber	88 millimeters (3.5 in)
Breech	horizontal sliding-wedge
Elevation	Depends on mount: MPL C/89: -10° to +20° Ubts.L: -10° to +30°[1]
Rate of fire	15 RPM
Muzzle velocity	590 m/s (1,900 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Depends on mount: MPL C/89: 7,300 metres (8,000 yd) at +20° Ubts.L: 10,500 metres (11,500 yd) at +30°[1]

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 (SK - Schnelladekanone (quick loading cannon) L - Länge (with a 30-caliber barrel) was a German naval gun that was used in World War I on a variety of mounts.

Description

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 gun weighed 644 kilograms (1,420 lb) and had an overall length of about 2.64 meters (8 ft 8 in). It used the Krupp horizontal sliding block, or "wedge", as it is sometimes referred to, breech design. In addition to mounts for surface ships there was also a submarine version which was on either a retractable or fixed pivot mount. The Krupp mount retracted vertically through a hatch, while the Erhardt version folded down onto the ship's deck.^[1]

Naval service

The 8.8 cm SK L/30 was a widely used naval gun on World War I pre-dreadnoughts, cruisers, coastal defence ships, avisos, submarines and torpedo boats in both casemates and turrets. Its primary use on pre-dreadnoughts, cruisers and coastal defence ships was as an anti-torpedo boat gun, while on avisos, submarines and torpedo boats it was their secondary armament.

Ship classes that carried the 8.8 cm SK L/30 include:

See also

• List of naval guns
• 8.8 cm SK C/30 naval gun: later development of similar calibre weapon, made in 1930

Notes

References

• Friedman, N. (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
• Reichs-Marine-Amt, ed. (1909). Bedienungsvorschrift für die 8,8 cm Schnellade-Kanone L/30 in 8,8 cm Mittel-Pivot-Lafette c/89 - Marine-Küsten-Artillerie. Berlin: E. S. Mittler. OCLC 66574420.
• 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.

External links

• SK L/30 at Navweaps.com