21 cm L/35

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.

21 cm L/35
A 21 cm L/35 gun at the German fort at Tsingtau
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	German Empire
Service history
In service	1890–1936
Used by	Argentine Navy Imperial Chinese Navy Royal Danish Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Royal Netherlands Navy
Wars	First Sino-Japanese War Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War
Production history
Designer	Krupp
Designed	1886
Manufacturer	Krupp
Produced	1890
Variants	No. 1 and No. 2
Specifications
Mass	No. 1: 13.9 t (15.3 short tons) No. 2: 14.6 t (16.1 short tons)
Length	7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Barrel length	6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Shell weight	140 kg (310 lb)
Caliber	209.3 mm (8.24 in) 35 caliber
Muzzle velocity	No. 1: 548 m/s (1,800 ft/s) with 43 kg (95 lb) propellant charge No. 2: 580 m/s (1,900 ft/s) with 54 kg (119 lb) propellant charge[1]

The forward barbette of the Jingyuan renamed Saien in IJN service which was sunk during 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]

Naval use

Argentina

ARA Veinticinco de Mayo – one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun fore and one shielded, 21 cm L/35 gun aft[4]

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[5]

Netherlands

Evertsen-class coastal defence ship – two mounted 21 cm L/35 turret guns fore and one aft[6]

Hydra-class – one forward shielded 21 cm L/35 gun after 1890s refits[7]

HNLMS Koningin Wilhelmina der Nederlanden – secondary armament of one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun aft[8]

HNLMS Reiner Claeszen – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret[9]

HNLMS Sumatra – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret[10]

References

Footnotes

1. Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
2. "GR 8.2in 21 cm 35cal Krupp Single". navalhistory.flixco.info.
3. Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
4. "VEINTICINCO DE MAYO protected cruiser (1891) – Argentinean Navy (Argentina)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
5. "Valkyrien protected cruiser (1890) – Danish Royal Navy (Denmark)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
6. "REINIER CLAESZEN monitor (1894) – Royal Dutch Navy (Netherlands)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
7. "HYDRA gunboats (1873–1876) – Royal Dutch Navy (Netherlands)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
8. "KONINGIN WILHELMINA DER NEDERLANDEN protected cruiser (1894) – Royal Dutch Navy (Netherlands)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
9. "REINIER CLAESZEN monitor (1894) – Royal Dutch Navy (Netherlands)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
10. "SUMATRA protected cruiser (1891) – Royal Dutch Navy (Netherlands)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.

Bibliography

• Friedman, N. (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)