German Coastal Artillery

[Antonio Pena]

LIST OF COASTAL GUNS USED BY THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES

The list includes the weapons designed originally for Shipboard or Coastal defence, made in Germany or captured. The coastal front between the French-Spanish border and the Norway-Finnish border was defended on his majority with captured weapons, but the most important part of the pieces were not designed originally for that purpose. A complete list of the weapons used to defend the “Festung Europe”, will include nearly all the guns made in Europe from 1870 onwards, and are outside of the scope of this list, many of them are described under the chapters of Light and Medium, Heavy, Railway and Fortress artillery.

GERMAN WEAPONS

3.7 cm Schiffskanone C/30 in Einheitslafette C/34
A naval pattern dual purpose antiaircraft-coast defence gun, single or twin mounts.

7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 in Marinelafette 39/43
A standard PAK 40 in a naval pedestal mounting, employed also as shipboard gun. Only due to the Mounting this gun is here

8.8 cm Schiffskanone C/35 in Unterseebootslafette C/35
A naval design , small number installed in casemate mountings

10.5 cm Schiffskanone C/32 in 8.8 cm Marine pivot lafette C/30D
Originally a shipboard antiaircraft/surface gun

10.5 cm Schiffskanone L/60 in Einheitslafette
A dual purpose antiaircraft/coastal gun, developed from the 10.5 cm Flak 38

12.8 cm Schiffskanone C/40 in 12.8 cm Dopellafette (PzK) C/40
Projected coastal version of the 12.8 cm Flak 40

14.0 cm Schiffskanone L/56 mit Ladeeinrichtung auf 15 cm TorpedobootsKanone c/36
Originally designed as naval gun for the Yugoslavian Navy, Only one prototype

15.0 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Kusten Marine pivot lafette C/36
A naval gun with purpose-designed coast defence monting

15.0 cm Schiffskanone C/28M
The same gun fitted into a mobile mounting

15.0 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Zwillingslafette
The same gun as above in a barbette type double mounting

15.0 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Kusten Dreiheitslafette LM 43
The same gun as above mounted in a armoured barbette mounting


15.0 cm Torpedobootskanone C/36
An old torpedo-boat gun usually mounted on the original turret

15.0 cm Schiffskanone L/40
Old WW 1 coast defence gun usually mounted in concrete casemates

15.0 cm Schiffskanone L/40
Old WW 1 shipboard gun, used for coastal defence after 1939

15.0 cm Unterseeboots und Torpedoboots Kanone L/45
An ex-naval shipboard dual purpose gun of very modern design

17.0 cm Schiffskanone L/40
An old shipboard gun used for coastal defence, and as railway gun

20.3 cm Schiffskanone C/34
An ex-naval weapon designed for the “Blücher Class” cruisers, usually mounted on turret

24.0 cm Schiffskanone in Drehschiesslafette C/98
An old naval gun usually mounted on a barbette carriage or in single turrets

24.0 cm Schiffskanone L/35
Ex-naval gun designed before WW 1, and adapted for coastal defence

24.0 cm Schiffskanone L/50
Ex-russian guns captured in 1915, after WW 1 installed in Borkum

28.0 cm Schiffskanone L/40
Ex-naval gun designed for the “Deutschland class” battleships

28.0 cm Schiffskanone L/45
Old “Nassau class” dreadnoughts guns

28.0 cm Schiffskanone L/50
Old “Moltke class” battlecruisers guns

28.0 cm Schnellade-Kanone C/34 in Drehschiesslafette C/28
Main turrets of the battlecruiser “Gneisenau”, converted to coastal defence in Norway

28.0 cm Kusten Haubitze
An old design, similar to the 28.0 cm H L/12

30.5 cm Schiffskanone L/50
Old “Derfflinger class” guns, built by Krupp and Skoda

38.0 cm Schiffskanone C/34
Gun designed originally for the “Bismarck class” battleships
4 at Oxsby (Denmark), 4 guns at Hanstead and 3 at Kristiansund (Norway), 4 at Haringzelle (France)

40.6 cm Schiffskanone C/34 in Schiessgerät C/39
Originally designed for the “H class” battleships
3 guns in Sangatte (France), 4 at Trondenes and 3 at Narvik (Norway)

CAPTURED GUNS

9.5 cm Küstenkanone (f) (Ex-french canon de cote de 95 M 93)
Only used in France

12.2 cm Küstenkanone 393 (r) (ex-russian coastal gun M ?)

15.2 cm Küstenkanone 456 (r) (ex-russian coastal gun M 04)

20.3 cm Küstenkanone L/45 (r) (old russian coastal guns from Sevastopol )

24.0 cm Schnellfeuerkanone C/97 (h) in Drehschiesslafette C/97 (h)
Naval guns from two Dutch coastal defence ships

25.4 cm Küstenkanone 572 (r) (ex-russian coastal gun M 10)

27.0 cm Küstenmörser 585 (f) (ex-french coastal howitzer M 89)

30.5 cm Küstenkanone 626 (r) (ex-russian gun)
Captured in Narvik, en route from France to Finland, and restored by Krupp

30.5 cm Haubitze modell 16 (Bofors) (Ex Norwegian?)
4 emplaced in Narvik

34.0 cm Küstenkanone Modell 12 (f) (ex-french coastal gun M 12)

The following guns are of Norwegian origin and only used in Norway:

10.0 cm SKL40 MII Bofors (Removed from Norwegian ship "Æger")
German name: 10.0cm SKL 40(n)

10.0 cm L/40 MI (from the Norwegian ship Fröya)
12.0 cm L/40 Schneider
12.0 cm L/44 Armstrong (from the N. ships Tordenskiold & Harald Haarfagre)

15.0 cm L50 Bofors. German name:15.0 cm SKL 50(n)
15.0 cm L47,5 Armstrong. German name:15.0 cm SKL 47,5(n)
21.0 cm L45 St-Chamond. German name:21.0 cm SKL 45(n)
24.0 cm St-Chamond. German name:24.0 cm HL/12,7(n)
28.0 cm L40 Krupp (the guns which sunk Blücher)
German name: 28.0 cm SKL 40

As always I expect your contributions to complete the task, especially for the captured guns

[Marcus]

Where is Erik, this should really make his day! :-)

/Marcus

[Juha Tompuri]

Hi Antonio,

Greetings from -30C Finland.
I have the following info from "Itsenäisen Suomen Rannikkotykit 1918-1998" (Coastal Guns in Finland 1918-1998) by Lt.Col. Ove Enqvist:
Same time the germans captured four of our twelve 30.5cm Küstenkanone 626(r)`s (actually from ex-imperial russian battleship "Imperator Alexander III", and called here as "Bizerta guns") they also took 18 our 13.0cm Vickers cal55 naval guns (off Bergen?).
Germans placed the 13.0cm`s at first as three gun batteries at Kiby, Tana, Porsanger, Hammerfest, Alta and Rugsundöy at Norway.
The 30.5cm`s possibly went to Guernsey.

Regards, Juha

[Antonio Pena]

Hi Juha, as for the 30.5 cm ex-russian, ex-french and nearly ex-finnish they went to Guernsey to the Batterie Mirus, at La Frie Baton. And about these Vickers could you trace the model and ex-owner?

My best regards

[Juha Tompuri]

Hi Antonio,

Sorry, but can`t help you much.
The 13.0cm was result of a somekind of co-operation between Vickers and Obuhov. AFAIK nearly 500 of them were ordered (Russia?) from Obuhov, the first was delivered 1913 and 100 were ordered from Vickers, first delivered Oct 1914.
We got them from France same time as the 30.5cm guns, but I don`t know about their background. Maybe some are still left at Norway? Sure Erik knows more.

Regards, Juha

[Mark V]

We got them from France same time as the 30.5cm guns, but I don`t know about their background. Maybe some are still left at Norway? Sure Erik knows more.
Regards, Juha

Imperator Alexander IIIs secondary armament was 18 of those same 13cm guns.

Coincidence ??

[Erik E]

Just arrived from holliday!

This is a good start on the new year!
However, I have a few corrections and additions..........

3 at Kristiansund

This should be Kristiansand (a city 2000 Km`s south of Kristiansund)
Only 2 were completed, as the ship carrying the last barrel was sunk.

A gun, much used in Norway, was the 12,7cm SKC/34. I don`t know if this was made as coastal artillery or ship cannon.........

In addition to your list, the following guns were ex-norwegian coastal artillery used by the Germans. (I don`t have the beute nr`s for these)

10cm SKL40 MII Bofors (Removed from Norwegian ship "Æger")
German name: 10cm SKL 40(n)

10cm L/40 MI (from the Norwegian ship Fröya)
12cm L/40 Schneider
12cm L/44 Armstrong (from the N. ships Tordenskiold & Harald haarfagre)

15cm L50 Bofors. German name:15cm SKL 50(n)
15cm L47,5 Armstrong. German name:15cm SKL 47,5(n)
21cm L45 St-Chamond. German name:21cm SKL 45(n)
24cm St-Chamond. German name:24cm HL/12,7(n)
28cm L40 Krupp (the guns which sunk Blücher)
German name: 28cm SKL 40


Erik E

[Erik E]

Sure Erik knows more

Never be too sure

In my papers they are called 13cm SKL 55 (r)
They were placed at Tana, Vadsö, Alta, Porsanger, Hammerfest, Lyngsvaer, Henningsvaer and Rishaugen.
All these batteries were destroyed during the retreat in 1944. Maybe some of them were moved to other locations, but I`m not aware of any surviving examples......

EE

[Erik E]

Here is a photo of the 24cm st-chammond called 24cm HL/12,7(n)

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

When comparing with the rust amounting on present day installations, the Germans sure knew how to make paint

Nice list!

Christian

[Andy H]

Hi Antonio

No info about the guns from the two Greek battleships-used for coastal defence in the Aegean/Adriatic areas?

Andy from the Shire

[Karl da Kraut]

Two Greek battelships? I thought the largest Greek surface unit was the pre-WWI Armored Cruiser Averoff (9.500t). I'd appreciate additional information, if I'm mistaken.

[Juha Tompuri]

Andy,

Do you mean the pre-dreadnoughts "Kilkis" ex USS Idaho and "Limnos" ex USS Missisippi.
Armament 2xtwin 305mm & 4xtwin 177mm each.
Bought 1914, sunken to shallow water at harbour of Salamis at 10th April 1941.

Regards, Juha

[Antonio Pena]

Hello

Thankyou to all for the help, I am processing the information received from Erik and Juha, I am searching for these Vickers guns, I suppose that a note should be in any part if there are so many guns, Eric I am putting in place your additions. Be patient.

Andy I am searching about the guns, also be patient probably tuesday I could have an answer.

My best regards


Antonio

[Erik E]

OOPS!

A little error in my previous post.....
This:

Only 2 were completed, as the ship carrying the last barrel was sunk.

Should read: Only 3 were completed, as the ship carrying the 4th barrel was sunk........

Erik E