Description

An unsuccessful anti-aircraft gun carried for a brief time on the Königsberg class light cruisers. Replaced by single 8.8 cm/45 SK L/45 guns.

Gun Characteristics

Designation 8.8 cm/75 (3.46") SK C/25
Ship Class Used On Königsberg Class
Date Of Design 1925
Date In Service 1929
Gun Weight 13,184 lbs. (5,980 kg) (including breech mechanism)
Gun Length oa 260.8 in. (6.625 m)
Bore Length 249.6 in (6.340 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire about 15 rounds per minute

Ammunition

Type Fixed
Weight of Complete Round HE: 49.6 lbs. (22.5 kg)
Projectile Types and Weights 1 2 HE L/4,4: 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg)
Illum L/4,5: 20.7 lbs. (9.4 kg)
Bursting Charge 3 HE L/4,4 4 G: 1.56 lbs. (0.708)
S: 1.42 lbs. (0.645 kg) TNT
Projectile Length 15.2 in (38.55 cm)
Propellant Charge 5.62 lbs. (2.55 kg) RP C/32 (800 x 7/5,25)
- or -
5.95 lbs. (2.70 kg) RP C/38 (800 x 7/4,9)

Cartridge: 29.8 lbs. (13.5 kg)
Muzzle Velocity HE: 2,710 fps (825 mps)
ILLUM: 2,130 fps (650 mps)
Working Pressure 19.7 tons/in2 (3,100 kg/cm2)
Approximate Barrel Life 600 rounds
Ammunition stowage per gun about 400 rounds
  • ^
    Actual designations
    HE L/4,4 8,8 cm Spgr Patr 25 L/4,4
    Illum L/4,5 8,8 cm Lg Patr 25 L/4,5
  • ^
    The 8.8 cm C/25 and C/31 used the same ammunition.
  • ^
    Burster weights (G = Gesamtgewicht and S = reiner Sprengstoff) from M.Dv. Nr. 198.
  • ^
    The HE L/4,4 fuze had both impact and time functions.

Range

Range with 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg) Shell
Elevation Distance
45 degrees 19,250 yards (17,600 m)
AA Ceiling @ 80 degrees 44,780 feet (13,650 m)

Mount / Turret Data

Designation Twin Mounts
   Königsberg (3): Dop. L. C/25
Weight 63,823 lbs. (28,950 kg)
Elevation -10 / +85 degrees
Elevation Rate 10 degrees per second
Train 360 degrees 1a
Train Rate 10 degrees per second
Gun recoil N/A
  • ^
    These mountings could make one complete revolution in either direction from the mid (fore and aft) position for a total of 720 degrees of train. Firing arc was about -150 / +150 degrees.

Sources

"German Cruisers of World War Two" by M.J. Whitley
---
"Übersicht über die für die Marinegeschütze und deren Abk K zu verwendende Munition und ihre Einzelteile einschließlich Salut- und Manöverladungen" M.Dv. Nr. 198 by Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine

Page History

11 February 2007 - Benchmark
22 May 2012 - Updated to latest template
25 August 2024 - Converted to HTML 5 formation and added ammunition information
18 June 2025 - Redid Burster table