Austria-Hungary
24 cm/45 (9.45")

Updated 12 October 2013

This was a Skoda gun used as secondary weapons on the last Austria-Hungary pre-dreadnoughts, the Radetzky class.  Unusual in that there was apparently no date used in the official designation.

This weapon has been criticized on the basis that the shell splashes were nearly the same as those from the 30.5 cm (12") main guns thus making it hard to spot correctly.  However, they did perform good work during the shore bombardment missions during World War I.

Actual bore diameter of all guns was 23.8 cm (9.37").
WNAust_945-45_Radetzky_pic.jpg

Radetzky
The 24 cm guns are in the amidships secondary turrets
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 24 cm (9.4") L/45
Ship Class Used On Radetzky class
Date Of Design 1907
Date In Service 1909
Gun Weight 26.5 tons (26.9 mt) w/o breech
Breech 1,766 lbs. (801 kg)
Gun Length oa 425.2 in (10.800 m)
Bore Length N/A
Rifling Length 323.1 in (8.207 m)
Grooves (72) 0.094 in D x 0.272 in W (2.375 mm D x 6.9 mm W)
Lands 0.138 in (3.5 mm)
Twist RH increasing 0 to 1 in 25
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 2.5 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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Type Separate
Projectile Types and Weights APC L/3.5 - 474.0 lbs. (215 kg)
CPC L/4.1 -  468.9 lbs. (215 kg)
Bursting Charge APC L/3.5 - 5.3 lbs. (2.4 kg)
CPC L/4.1 - 38.4 lbs. (17.4 kg)
Projectile Length APC L/3.5 - about 33.0 in (84 cm)
CPC L/4.1 - about 38.7 in (98.4 cm)
Propellant Charge 154.3 lbs. (70.0 kg)
Cartridge Case Weights 228.4 lbs. (103.6 kg)
Muzzle Velocity 2,625 fps (800 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun 100 rounds
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Range
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Elevation Range
Range @ 3.91 degrees 6,560 yards (6000 m)
Range @ 8.83 degrees 10,940 yards (10,000 m)
Range @ 12.18 degrees 13,120 yards (12,000 m)
Range @ 20 degrees N/A
Note:  Range table went only to 12.18 degrees.  It should be understood that the maximum range of these guns could not be used at the time of their construction.
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Armor Penetration with 474.0 lbs. (215 kg) APC
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Range Vertical Krupp Cemented Plate
6,560 yards (6,000 m) 6.7 in (17 cm)
10,940 yards (10,000 m) 4.2 in (10.7 cm)
13,120 yards (12,000 m) 3.6 in (9.2 cm)
Note:  Data from "Naval Weapons of World War One."
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Two-gun Turret
   Radetzky (4)
Weight 235 tons (239 mt)
Elevation -4 / +20 degrees
Elevation Rate N/A
Train +130 / -130 degrees
Train Rate N/A
Gun recoil N/A
Loading Angle +2.5 degrees
Note:  Turrets were electrically powered.
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Data from

"Naval Weapons of World War One" by Norman Friedman
"Austro-Hungarian Battleships 1914-18" by Ryan Noppen

Page History

12 October 2013 - New datapage