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Description

Developed for torpedo boats of the 1900s and used as anti-torpedo boat guns on a few cruisers of the same period.

Gun Characteristics

Designation 5.2 cm/55 (2.05") SK L/55
Ship Class Used On Torpedo Boats: G132-G137
Cruisers: Nürnberg (1906), Stuttgart, Stettin, Dresden class, Kolberg (1908) class
Date Of Design about 1905
Date In Service 1906
Gun Weight 3.86 tons (3.9 mt) including BM
Gun Length oa about 113 in (2.860 m)
Bore length about 105 in (2.662 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 10 rounds per minute (?)

Ammunition

Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight N/A
Projectile Types and Weights HE: 3.86 lbs. (1.75 kg)
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length N/A
Propellant Charge N/A
Muzzle Velocity 2,800 fps (850 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun Torpedoboats: N/A
Nürnberg, Stuttgart, Stettin, Dresden, Kolberg: 500 rounds

Range

Range with 3.86 lbs. (1.75 kg) HE
Elevation Distance
20 degrees 7,800 yards (7,100 m)

Mount / Turret Data

Designation
  • Single Mountings
    • G132-134 (4), G135 (2), G136 (4), G137 (3), Nürnberg (8), Stuttgart (8), Stettin (8), Dresden (8), Kolberg (4): N/A
Weight N/A
Elevation -5 (?) / +20 degrees
Elevation Rate Manual operation, only
Train N/A
Train Rate Manual operation, only
Gun recoil N/A

During World War I, some of these guns were replaced with 8.8 cm/30, 8.8 cm/35 or 8.8 cm/45 guns while some older torpedo boats had their 5 cm/40 guns replaced with the more powerful 5.2 cm/55 guns.

Sources

Data from:

  • "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906-1922" by Randal Gray and Robert Gardiner (Editor)
  • "German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner

Special help from Enrique Mas

Page History

06 February 2011
New datapage