Škoda 19 cm vz. 1904

• Name — Škoda 19 cm vz. 1904 • Origin — Austria-Hungary • Type — Naval gun Coastal artillery • Is Explosive — yes • Is Artillery — yes • Service — 1904–1945 • Used By — Austria-Hungary Italy • Wars — World War I World War II • Designer — Škoda • Design Date — 1904 • Manufacturer — Škoda • Production Date — 1905 • Number — ~29 • Weight — 12700 kg • Length — 8 m • Part Length — 7.4 m L/42 • Cartridge — Separate loading cased charge and projectile • Cartridge Weight — 97 kg • Caliber — 19 cm 42 caliber • Rate — 4 rpm • Velocity — 800 m/s • Max Range — 20 km at +13° • Elevation — -5 ° to +15° • Traverse — 300°

The Škoda 19 cm vz. 1904 was developed and built by Škoda Works in Plzeň. These guns used Krupp horizontal sliding breech blocks with separate loading metallic cased charges and projectiles. Unlike other large naval guns of the time which used separate loading bagged charges and ammunition, the 19 cm vz. 1904 used separate loading ammunition with charges inside of a brass cartridge case to provide obturation.

The Škoda 19 cm vz. 1904 was used as secondary armament on the battleships and the armored cruiser Sankt Georg. They were mounted on either pedestal mounts in single casemates amidships or in single turrets. After World War I SMS Sankt Georg and Erzherzog Ferdinand Max were assigned to the United Kingdom as war reparations, while Erzherzog Karl and Erzherzog Friedrich were assigned to France. Between 1920 and 1921 these ships except SMS Erzherzog Karl were delivered to Italy for scrapping. The exact number of guns used for coastal defense during World War II is unknown. Coastal batteries are believed to have been located at Šibenik, Pula, Naples and Tripoli. Number of guns salvaged: • 12 guns each from the two Erzherzog Karl-class battleships • 5 guns from SMS Sankt Georg Total = 29 guns Location and numbers of coastal batteries: • 2 batteries of 2 guns – Šibenik • 2 batteries of 2 guns – Pula • 2 batteries of 2 guns – Naples • 2 batteries of 4 guns – Tripoli • 2 guns on pontoon GM269 Total = 20 guns

Ammunition was of separate loading type with a cartridge case and a bagged charge which weighed 26.3 kg. Ammunition types: • Armor piercing – Length: 61 cm, Weight: 97 kg • Common pointed- Length: 66.5 cm, Weight: 90 kg • Shrapnel – Length: 53 cm, Weight: 49.2 kg