28 cm SK C/34 gun

• Origin — Germany • Type — Naval gun Coast-defense gun • Is Ranged — YES • Is Artillery — YES • Service — 1938–1953 • Wars — World War II • Design Date — 1934 • Weight — 53250 kg • Length — 15.4 m 54.5 Caliber • Part Length — 14.5 m (bore length) • Cartridge — Separate-loading, bagged charge • Caliber — 283 mm • Velocity — 890 m/s • Max Range — 40930 m at 40° • Elevation — –8° to +40°

The previous 28 cm gun was the SK C/28 used on the. The Scharnhorst class received an improved version of the SK C/28 which had a longer barrel—the SK C/34. The 283 mm SK C/34 gun was relatively fast loading, compared with other armament of this size. It could deliver a shot every 17 seconds. The ballistic properties of the guns made them effective against the new French, which had an armored belt 225–283 mm, barbettes of 310–340 mm, at standard fighting distances. An improved version of the gun was planned to be mounted on the Netherlands' Design 1047 battlecruisers, but the ships were never begun due to the start of the Second World War. When 's turrets were removed for re-arming and upgunning to 38 cm in 1942–43, her guns were redeployed for coast defence at Fjell festning ´(11.MAA 504) in Sotra, Norway (Bruno turret), at Batterie Oerlandat (4.MAA 507) in Austrått, Norway (Cesar turret), and guns from Anton turret were installed at Battery Rozenburg in the Netherlands. One of Gneisenaus turrets and its guns were also considered for the hypothetical Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte super-heavy tank.

Effectiveness of the guns against armor in different situations • Distance — 0 — 7900 m — 15100 m — 18288 m — 27432 m • Shooting angle[deg] — 0 — 3.3 — 7.4 — 9.7 — 18.7 • Shell hitting angle[deg] — 0 — 4.4 — 10.3 — 15.2 — 30.2 • Shell velocity at target — 890 m/s — 693 m/s — 552 m/s — 496 m/s — 420 m/s • Side armor belt penetration — 604 mm — 460 mm — 335 mm — 291 mm — 205 mm • Deck armor penetration — - — 19 mm — 41 mm — 48 mm — 76 mm

• Illustration — Coast-defence shell at Fjell festning in Sotra, Norway Characteristics of SK C/28 and SK C/34 283 mm shells: • Gun type — Shell type — Length (calibers) — Total weight • SK C/28 — Armor-piercing — 3.7 — 300 kg • Semi-armor-piercing — 4.2 — 300 kg • Igniting — 4.2 — 300 kg • SK C/34 — Armor-piercing — 4.4 — 336 kg • Semi-armorpiercing — 4.4 — 316 kg • Igniting — 4.5 — 315 kg

• Illustration — Gneisenaus Cäsar turret at Austrått fort, Ørlandet, Norway • Gneisenaus Cäsar turret with its 3 guns survives at Austrått fort, Ørlandet, Norway • Parts of the guns from Anton turret survive at former "Stichting Fort", Hook of Holland

28 cm SK C/34 gun is classified as a rifled breech loader, naval artillery or coastal artillery weapon. Associated with Germany.