User:Grieg2/sandbox: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia
For use in armored gun turrets, Gruson built the 21 cm {{lang|de|Minimalscharten Lafette}} c/72. This served to bring the horinzontal and vertical turning point of the gun to the gun port, instead of it being near the [[trunnion]]s.{{sfn|Von Müller|1879|p=197}}
For use in armored gun turrets, Gruson built the 21 cm {{lang|de|Minimalscharten Lafette}} c/72. This served to bring the horinzontal and vertical turning point of the gun to the gun port, instead of it being near the [[trunnion]]s.{{sfn|Von Müller|1879|p=197}}
The development of the 21 cm RK L/22 kind of ended when Krupp started to develop the {{lang|de|Mantel Ringrohr}} gun barrel. This consisted of a strong core in a weaker core and mantle which were in turn surrounded by rings. This made a stronger gun barrel. In 1875/76 Krupp was testing a Mantel Ring Kanone of 21&bsp;cm with use of a 26 kg charge for a speed of 470 m/s.{{sfn|Von Müller|1879|p=259}}
The development of the 21 cm RK L/22 kind of ended when Krupp started to develop the {{lang|de|Mantel Ringrohr}} gun barrel. This consisted of a strong core in a weaker core and mantle which were in turn surrounded by rings. This made a stronger gun barrel. In 1875/76 Krupp was testing a Mantel Ring Kanone of 21&;cm with use of a 26 kg charge for a speed of 470 m/s.{{sfn|Von Müller|1879|p=259}}
== Use ==
== Use ==
←
The 21 cm RK L/22
Background[edit]
The 1862 Battle of Hampton Roads[edit]
In March 1862 the Battle of Hampton Roads showed that armored vessels were almost immune to regular sailing warships, and could destroy them with impunity. While most navies strove to acquire armored ships, they also tried to acquire guns that could penetrate armor. In Prussia this meant that the caliber of its heaviest (breech loading) gun was first increased from 15 cm to a 48-pdr caliber (19.3 cm), which resulted in a cast iron gun of about 5,500 kg. However, this proved unsatifactory.
The massive 21 cm guns[edit]
In Fall 1864 the German department of the navy then decided to acquire a 21 cm rifled breechloader, which it also designed. The barrel would be made of steel instead of iron, and would be massive (i.e. cast in one piece). It would weigh 6,750 kg and fire an about 100 kg shot. After this 21 cm gun showed problems with the recoil, a new 45 Ztr. heavier (i.e. 9,000 kg) design was made.
Outclassed by British guns[edit]
In early 1868, the Boulengé chronograph would enable measurement of the speed of projectiles. Meanwhile Prussia had bought a RML 9-inch Armstrong Gun. This was a so called Woolwich gun, which were muzzle loading British rifled guns. These were made for the Royal Navy in Woolwich, and for export by the Armstrong company in Elswick. The new measuring device allowed the Prussians to see that the Krupp 21 cm gun fired projectiles at a much slower speed than the British 9-inch gun, i.e. 320 m/s vs 404 m/s.
For a direct trial against the British 9 inch muzzle loader, the powder charge of the 21 and 24 cm guns was increased to 12.5 and 25 kg, but this was not effective. In June 1868, a trial between the Prussian 24 cm gun and the British 9 inch gun showed that the British guns were clearly superior to the Prussian guns. However, the Prussians observed that the living force of the Prussian guns was actually a bit better than that of the gun bought from Armstrong. Therefore, the breechloading system itself could not be the problem.
Krupp’s work for Russia[edit]
Meanwhile Russia had decided to use rifled breechloaders for its navy and coastal artillery. In 1862 it had contacted Krupp for building some guns. Already in 1863, it tested a massive Krupp 21 cm breechloader against 114 mm armor plating. In 1866 it got a Krupp built-up gun of 21 cm and decided to standardize on Krupp guns. Russia ordered a significant number of guns, but also furthered the foundation of the Obukhov Factory, which copied the Krupp designs.
The Russian orders gave an essential impulse to Krupp’s abilities. Krupp’s innovation was based on the work of the Russian officer Alex Gadolin, and led to the manufacture of a built-up gun of 21 cm in 1866.
The government challenges Krupp[edit]
The supremacy of the British 9-inch muzzle loader conssited of its ability to penetrate 178 and 203 mm armor plate, which the Prussian 24 cm could not. The proponents of the Krupp gun concluded that the shot and the pulver which had been used…
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