The 21 cm L/35 were a family of German naval artillery developed in the years before World War I and used in limited numbers. This gun armed warships of the Argentine Navy, Imperial Chinese Navy, Royal Danish Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy before and after World War I.[2] It was used in the First Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion and a ship captured by Japan in the Sino-Japanese War was later used in the Russo-Japanese War.
History
In 1886, Krupp designed the 21 cm L/35 and started production for export customers in 1890. The 21 cm L/35 was produced in two models the No. 1 and No. 2. The main difference between the two guns was their weight, rifling, propellant charges and muzzle velocities. Otherwise their overall length and ammunition were the same.[3]
The 21 cm came in different variants:[4]
- Model 1880: L25, L30, L35
- Model 1887: L35, L40
- Model 1889: L40, L50
Naval use
Argentina
- ARA Veinticinco de Mayo – one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun fore and one shielded, 21 cm L/35 gun aft
China
- Jingyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette
- Laiyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette
- Jiyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette
Denmark
- HDMS Valkyrien – one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun fore and one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun aft
Netherlands
The Dutch navy used:[4]
The 21 cm A No. 1 was used on:
- Evertsen-class coastal defence ship – two mounted 21 cm L/35 turret guns fore and one aft[7]
- Ever-class gunboat – one forward shielded 21 cm L/35 gun after 1890s refits[8]
The 21 cm A No. 2 was used on:
- HNLMS Koningin Wilhelmina der Nederlanden – secondary armament of one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun aft[9][6]
- HNLMS Sumatra – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret
- HNLMS Reinier Claeszen – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret[5]
Gallery
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The forward barbette of the Jingyuan renamed Saien in IJN service which was sunk during the Russo-Japanese War. -
A 21 cm L/35 gun at the German fort at Tsingtau.
References
Footnotes
- ^ Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
- ^ "GR 8.2in 21 cm 35cal Krupp Single". navalhistory.flixco.info.
- ^ Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
- ^ a b Artillerist 1910, p. 65.
- ^ a b Reinier Claeszen 1891, p. 92.
- ^ a b Prinses Wilhelmina 1891, p. 40.
- ^ Departement van Marine 1894, p. 86.
- ^ Departement van Marine 1894, p. 100.
- ^ Departement van Marine 1894, p. 89.
Bibliography
- Friedman, N. (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
- Chesneau, R.; Kolesnik, E. M., eds. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Artillerist (1910). "Uit de pers: een weinig geslaagde verdediging van het Krupp monopolie". Marineblad. Vereniging van Marine-officieren. p. 55-96.
- Departement van Marine (1894), Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Zeemagt 1892-1893, De Gebroeders van Cleef
- "Ramschip voor de defensie in het zuider frontier Reinier Claeszen". Marineblad. Vereniging van Marine-officieren. 1891. p. 91-95.
- "Pantserdektorenschip Prinses Wilhelmina". Marineblad. Vereniging van Marine-officieren. 1891. p. 39-44.
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