German
21 cm/45 (8.27") SK L/45
Updated 29 February 2008
Used afloat only on the Armored Cruiser Blücher which was sunk at the World War I battle of Dogger Bank.

During World War II these guns were used as coastal artillery.  They were then supplied with a better ballistically shaped shell and with a larger propellant charge for increased range.

Actual bore diameter was 20.93 cm (8.24").
WNGER_827-45_skc05_Blucher_pic.jpg

One of the wing turrets on SMS Blücher
The gun barrel below is a 15 cm/45
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 21 cm/45 (8.27") SK L/45
Ship Class Used On Blücher
Date Of Design about 1905
Date In Service 1909
Gun Weight 12,632 lbs. (5,730 kg)
Gun Length oa about 372 in. (9.450 m)
Bore Length about 350 in (8.900 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 4 - 5 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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Type Separate
Projectile Types and Weights World War I
   AP L/2,9 - 238 lbs. (108 kg)

World War II
   AP L/2,9 - 238 lbs. (108 kg)
   HE L/4,3 base and nose fuze - 250 lbs. (113.5 kg)
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length AP L/2,9 - 24 in (61 cm)
HE L/4,3 - 35.5 in (90 cm)
Propellant Charge N/A
Cartridge Case Type, Size and Empty Weight Brass, 210 x 836 mm, N/A
Muzzle Velocity AP L/2,9 - N/A
HE L/4,3 - 2,953 fps (900 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun 85 rounds
Notes:

1) The World War II HE round was a special coastal artillery projectile with both base and nose fuzes.  This projectile was of better ballistic shape than the earlier AP projectile.

2) Actual Projectile designations were as follows.
   AP L/2,9 - Psgr. L2,9
   HE L/4,3 base and nose fuze - Spr.gr. L/4,3 Bdz u. Kz
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Range
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Elevation
With 238 lbs. (108 kg) AP L/2,9
With 250 lbs. (113.5 kg) HE L/4,3
Range @ 30 degrees
(Max. elevation of turret)
20,900 yards (19,100 m)
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Range @ 45 degrees
(Coastal Artillery)
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31,700 yards (29,000 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Two-gun turrets
   Blücher (6)
Weight  N/A
Elevation -5 / +30 degrees
Elevation Rate N/A
Train Forward and Aft Turrets:  about -150 / +150 degrees
Beam Turrets:  about +30 / +150 degrees
Train Rate N/A
Gun recoil N/A
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Data from
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
and
Tony DiGiulian's Personal Data Files