1) For an interesting comparison of British and German guns as seen by British ordnance personnel, see the extract from "Progress in Gunnery Material, 1921" ADM 186/251 on the British 15"/42 (38.1 cm) Mark I datapage.

2) Post-war loading tests by the British on Baden found that it took only 23 seconds from the time the guns fired until they were ready to fire again, compared to 36 seconds for the 15 inch (38.1 cm) guns on Queen Elizabeth.

3) Gun at Battery Pommern battery was Krupp No. 15 L.  The four guns at Battery Deutschland were Krupp No. 9 L, No. 35 L, No. 36 L and No. 41 L.

4) Rifling dimensions above from "The German Defenses on the Coast of Belgium" and appear to be actual measurements.  "Naval Weapons of World War One" gives different values as follows:
   Grooves - (100) 0.150 in D x 3.05 in W at start narrowing to 0.226 mm W at muzzle (3.80 mm D x 7.74 mm to 5.74 mm W)
   Lands - 0.165 in at start widening to 0.244 in at muzzle (4.20 mm to 6.20 mm)

Coastal HE L/5,4 - 1,653 lbs. (750 kg)
Coastal HE L/4,1 - 881 lbs. (400 kg)

Coastal HE L/5,1 - N/A
Coastal HE L4,1 - N/A

Coastal HE L/5,1 - about 76.0 in (194 cm)
Coastal HE L/4,1 - about 61.0 in (156 cm)

Coastal HE L/5,1 - 2,625 fps (800 mps)
Coastal HE L/4,1 - 3,412 fps (1,040 mps)

1) From ADM 186/251, it would appear that the main charge was about 360 lbs. (163 kg), which would imply that the fore charge was about 250 lbs. (114 kg).  "The German Defenses on the Coast of Belgium" says that there were three charges used for coastal guns, the "Hutzenkartasch" (Hauptkartusche or Main) cartridge case with 191.8 lbs. (87 kg) of propellant and two different "Vorkartasche" (Vorkartusche or Fore) charges with 211.6 lbs. (96 kg) and 260.1 lbs. (118 kg) of propellant.  This work states that there were two charges used, 191.8 + 260.1 lbs. = 451.9 lbs. (87 + 118 kg = 205 kg) or 191.8 + 211.6 + 260.1 lbs. = 663.5 lbs. (87 + 96 + 118 kg = 301 kg).

2) AP and HE were about 5crh.  Coastal HE L5.4 was 10crh.  The Coastal Artillery Projectile used a long, streamlined nose for maximum range.

3) Outfit for the Baden class was 60 APC and 30 HE per gun.

4) Actual Naval Projectile designations were as follows:
   APC L/3,1- Psgr. L/3,1 (mhb)
   HE L/4,1 base fuze - Spr.gr. L/4,1 Bdz (mhb)

5) In "The German Defenses on the Coast of Belgium" the author notes another HE shell of 754 lbs. (342 kg) with a range of 52,000 yards (48,000 m).

1) The above information is from "German Capital Ships of World War Two" and is derived from trials conducted in 1938 when these guns were compared against the 38 cm guns intended for the Bismarck class battleships.

2) There is evidence to suggest that these guns achieved penetrations of 13.23 in (336 mm) at 21,872 yards (20,000 m) against World War I-era armor.

Battery Deutschland reportedly had three BSG mountings capable of +45 degrees and one BSG mounting capable of +55 degrees

1) Turrets were powered as much as possible with electric motors directly, with electricaly powered hydraulics being used only for the elevating gear and for the hoists.  Each turret had a machinery room directly below the turret, followed by a handling room.  At the bottom of the stalk was a cartridge handling room which held 36 fore charges.  Main charges and additional fore charges were stored in the magazines.  Cartridges were loaded onto a central hoist below the handling room while projectiles were loaded on the next deck below.  Projectile hoists ran directly from the handling room to the gunhouse.  Once in the gunhouse, the projectiles and cartridges were power rammed towards the rear of the turret onto powered loading cars which ran on rails across the turret.  These cars could feed either gun, but normally the guns were loaded together.  As the breech mechanism did not extend past the end of the gun, the breeches could be opened before the cars were in place, thus speeding the loading cycle.  Shell and cartridges were loaded by a chain and telescoping rammer.  The projectile was rammed first and then both propellant charges were rammed as a unit.  The total length of both charges was 63 in (160 cm).

2) Typical of German designs, these turrets ran on ball races containing 144 steel ball bearings of about 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) in diameter.

3) British post-war analysis of the mountings on Baden criticized them for their lack of flash protection, but this seems overstated.  The German use of enclosing all charges in brass greatly reduced the risk of flash igniting the charges thus they did not need the elaborate anti-flash fittings found in British post-Jutland designs.  The analysis noted that the German turrets were less foolproof than British designs as there were places where mistakes could jam them.  The British report further stated that there was "a remarkable absence of precautions against sabotage" which seems more of a curious indictment against British sailors than a criticism of the German design.

4) ADM 186/251 notes that the shell grabs and the foot grip plating used in the shell rooms were both very efficient and should be copied in future British designs.  However, it also notes that the Auxiliary Loading Chamber was "both a poor and an elaborate arrangement."  The Auxiliary Loading Chamber allowed an "alternate supply of six projectiles per gun to be sent to the gun-house by means of an electrically driven hoist.  There is no ready means of replenishing the secondary loading compartment from the shell room."

5) Elevation in Baden was not increased during the war.  Any ship completed after Bayern would probably also have had an elevation range of -5 / +20 degrees.

6) Gun axes were 145.6 in (370 cm).

7) Armor thickness given in "Naval Weapons of World War One" by Norman Friedman:

    Baden class
      Face:  14.0 in (35 cm)
      Sides:  9.8 in (25 cm)
      Rear:  11.4 in (29 cm)
      Roof - Flat:  4.7 in (12 cm)
      Roof - Front:  7.9 in (20 cm)
      Roof - Sides:  4.7 in (12 cm)

    Ersatz Yorck class
      Face:  11.8 in (30 cm)
      Sides:  9.8 in (25 cm)
      Rear:  11.4 in (29 cm)
      Roof - Flat:  5.9 in (15 cm)
      Roof - Front:  9.8 in (25 cm)
      Roof - Sides:  4.7 in (12 cm)