German
8.8 cm/45 (3.46") SK L/45
8.8 cm/45 (3.46") Tbts KL/45
8.8 cm/45 (3.46") Flak L/45
Updated 09 August 2009
A series of weapons with similar performance that were used as anti-torpedo boat guns on pre-dreadnoughts, main guns on torpedo boats and destroyers and later developed into Germany's first AAA gun.  The Flak L/45 was also used to replace some of the 8.8 cm/35 anti-torpedo boat guns on older warships.

During the 1920s these guns were used as an interim measure on the Panzerschiffe Deutschland and on light cruisers until the new 8.8 cm/76 SK C/32 gun was available, with most ships being refitted by 1939.

During the 1930s surviving guns were modified to take the same ammunition as was used in the 8.8 cm/45 (3.4") SK C/30 and then had the same performance as did that gun.
WNGER_88mm-45_skc13_pic.jpg

Two 8.8cm/45 FLAK L/45, probably on light cruiser Königsberg during the 1920s
WNGER_88mm-45_skc13_S19_pic.jpg

Torpedo Boat S19 sometime after 1916 when she had been rearmed with 8.8 cm/45 guns
National Maritime Museum Photograph
WNGER_88mm-45_skc13_sketch.jpg

Sketch of 8.8 cm/45 SK L/45
WNGER_88mm-45_skc13_land_sketch_pic.jpg

8.8 cm/45 SK L/45 in MPL C/06 Mounting
This sketch appears to show an adaptation for land mountings
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 8.8 cm/45 (3.46") SK L/45
8.8 cm/45 (3.46") Tbts L/45
8.8 cm/45 (3.46") Flak L/45
Ship Class Used On Most Capital Ships, Torpedo Boats and Destroyers of World War I

1920s:  Emden, Königsberg and Deutschland classes
Date Of Design 1905
Date In Service 1906
Gun Weight 5,512 lbs. (2,500 kg)
Gun Length oa about 157.5 in (4.000 m)
Bore length N/A
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 15 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight 33 lbs. (15 kg)
Projectile Types and Weights World War I
   AA - 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg)
   HE - 21.5 lbs. (9.75 kg)
   HE - 22.05 lbs. (10 kg)

World War II
   HE, noze fuze - 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg)
   HE, incendiary - 20.94 lbs. (9.5 kg)
   AP - 22.5 lbs. (10.0 kg)
   Illum - N/A
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length about 14.0 in (385.5 mm)
Propellant Charge World War I:  6.6 lbs. (3.00 kg) RPC/12
World War II:  5.2 lbs. (2.35 kg) RPC/38
World War II:  6.22 lbs. (2.82 kg) RPC/38
Muzzle Velocity World War I
   Flak L/45:  2,920 fps (890 mps)
   Others:  2,133 fps (650 mps)

World War II
   2,590 fps (790 mps)
Working Pressure 17.5 tons/in2 (2,750 kg/cm2)
Approximate Barrel Life 7,000 rounds
Ammunition stowage per gun World War I
   Nassau:  150 rounds
   Helgoland and Moltke:  200 rounds
   Kaiser and Seydlitz:  200-350 rounds
   König, Von der Tann, Derfflinger and Mackensen:  400 rounds
   Bücher (1914):  200 rounds
   Torpedo boats:  150 rounds
   Destroyers:  120 rounds

World War II
   Emden and Königsberg:  400 rounds
   Deutschland:  N/A
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Range - World War I
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Elevation With 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg) HE Shell
Range @ 25 degrees 11,700 yards (10,694 m)
Range @ 45 degrees 12,900 yards (11,790 m)
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Range - World War II
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Elevation With 19.8 lbs. (9.0 kg) HE Shell
Range @ 43 degrees 15,420 yards (14,100 m)
AA Ceiling @ 70 degrees about 30,000 feet (9,150 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation
(see Note)		 Casemate Single Mountings
   Nassau (16), Helgoland (14), Kaiser (8), König (6), Von der Tann (16), Moltke (12), Seydlitz (12), Derfflinger (4) and Blücher (16):  MPL C/01-06

Flak Single Mountings
   1914 - 1918:  Mackensen (8), Ersatz Yorck (8), Brummer (2), Königsberg (2), Cöln (3, FK 1 (2) and FK 2 (2):  MPL C/13
   1925 - 1945:  Deutschland (3), Emden (1925) (2), Königsberg:  MPL C/13

Torpedo Boat Single Mounting
   Destroyers:  B97 (4):  Tbts LC/13
   Torpedo Boats:  S153 (2), S155 (2), G170 (3), S146 (3), T139 (3) and V25 (3):  Tbts LC/13
Weight  N/A
Elevation MPLC/01-06:  -10 / +25 degrees
MPLC/13:  -10 / +70 degrees
Tbts LC/13:  -10 / +25 degrees
Elevation Rate Manual operation, only
Train N/A
Train Rate Manual operation, only
Gun recoil 9.4 in (24 cm)
Note:  Quantities and types shown above are "as built."  Many ships had 8.8 cm/45 anti-ship guns removed during World War I in order to fit 8.8 cm/45 FLAK guns.  Similarly, many older torpedoboats traded their 8.8 cm/30 and 8.8 cm/35 guns for the more powerful 8.8 cm/45 guns.  Likewise, some torpedo boats were rearmed with the even more powerful 10.5 cm/45 Tbts guns.
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Data from
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
"German Capital Ships of World War Two" and "German Destroyers of World War Two (2nd Edition)" both by M.J. Whitley
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Special help from Peter Lienau
Page History

30 January 2008 - Benchmark
16 April 2009 - Corrected dates
09 August 2009 - Corrected picture link