Škoda 7 cm guns

The Škoda 7 cm guns were a family of naval guns and dual-purpose guns of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that were developed and produced for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the years before and during World War I. These guns were actually 66 mm, but the classification system for artillery rounded up to the next highest centimeter.[1] Following the defeat of the Central Powers in World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian empire the ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy were divided among the victorious allies and some guns continued to be used until World War II.

Škoda 7 cm G. L/18
Type	Landing gun
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1895
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 98 kg (216 lb) Complete: 500 kg (1,100 lb)
Length	1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) 18 caliber
Shell weight	4 kg (8.8 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding-wedge breech
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	320 m/s (1,000 ft/s)[1]

Škoda 7 cm G. L/26 K15 BAK
Type	Dual-purpose gun
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1915
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 220 kg (490 lb)
Length	1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) 26 caliber
Shell weight	5.3 kg (12 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Elevation	-10° to +90°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	480 m/s (1,600 ft/s)[1]

Škoda 7 cm L/30 K09 BAG
Type	Dual-purpose gun
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1910
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 244 kg (538 lb) TAG Complete: 654 kg (1,442 lb) BAG Complete: 954 kg (2,103 lb)
Length	1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) 30 caliber
Shell weight	4 kg (8.8 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Elevation	-10° to +90°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	550 m/s (1,800 ft/s)[1]

Škoda 7 cm SFK L/42
Type	Dual-purpose gun
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1892
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 630 kg (1,390 lb) Complete: 1,488 kg (3,280 lb)
Length	2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) 42 caliber
Barrel length	2.12 m (6 ft 11 in)
Shell weight	4 kg (8.8 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	700 m/s (2,300 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	6 kilometres (3.7 mi)[1]

Škoda 7 cm SFK L/45
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1900
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 547 kg (1,206 lb) Complete: 1,860 kg (4,100 lb)
Length	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) 45 caliber
Barrel length	2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Shell weight	5 kg (11 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	725 m/s (2,380 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi)[1]

Škoda 7 cm G. L/45 BAG
Type	Dual-purpose gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Škoda
Manufacturer	Škoda
Produced	1900
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 520 kg (1,150 lb)
Length	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) 45 caliber
Barrel length	2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Shell weight	5 kg (11 lb)
Caliber	66 mm (2.6 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Elevation	-10° to +90°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	20 rpm
Muzzle velocity	725 m/s (2,380 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	5 kilometres (3.1 mi)[1]

Construction

The Škoda 7 cm guns were developed and built at the Pilsen works between 1892 through 1918. The barrel was made of steel with a horizontal sliding-wedge breech, they used fixed quick fire ammunition and most ranged in length between 26 and 45 calibers. There was a single hydraulic recoil cylinder beneath the barrel and most were aimed by shoulder pads. The G. L/18 was a landing gun which could be taken ashore to provide support for a landing party. Initially these guns were deployed as anti-torpedo boat guns and had an elevation of -10° to +20°. Škoda engineers later developed anti-aircraft mounts which could elevate from -10° to +90°, but the ballistic performance for the guns remained the same.[1]

Acronyms associated with these guns include:

• SFK = Schnell-Feuer Kanone or quick firing cannon.
• TAG = Torpedoboot-Abwehr Geschütz or anti-torpedo boat gun.
• BAG = Ballon-Abwehr Geschütz or anti-balloon gun.
• BAK = Ballon-Abwehr Kanone or anti-balloon cannon.

History

The Škoda 7 cm were mounted aboard coastal defence ships, destroyers, minelayers, monitors, pre-dreadnought battleships, protected cruisers and submarines of the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

Coastal defense ships:

• Monarch-class - SMS Monarch had one G. L/45 BAG gun after a 1917 refit. SMS Wien and SMS Budapest each received a Škoda 7 cm K10 gun for anti-aircraft defense after a 1917 refit.[2]

Destroyers:

• Huszár-class - The fourteen ships of this class had a primary armament of one SFK L/45 gun on a low angle mount. Later all ships received five L/30 K09 BAG guns on dual-purpose mounts after 1912–1913 refits.[3] One of these ships Ulan was ceded to Greece after World War I and was renamed Smyrni.[4]
• Tátra-class - The six ships of this class had a secondary armament of six SFK L/45 guns on low angle mounts. Two of these guns were replaced with dual-purpose G. L/45 BAG guns after 1916-18 refits.[5] Four ships of this class Tatra, Csepel, Orjen and Balaton were ceded to Italy after World War I where they were called the Fasana-class.[6]
• SMS Warasdiner - This ship had a primary armament of two SFK L/45 guns on low angle mounts and four dual-purpose L/30 K09 BAG guns. Warasdiner was ceded to Italy after World War I.[7]

Minelayers:

• MT.130-class - The eight ships of this class had a primary armament of one dual-purpose L/30 K09 BAG gun. After World War I three of the unfinished ships were ceded to Italy and called the Albona-class, while five unfinished ships were ceded to Yugoslavia and called the Malinska-class. After the defeat of Yugoslavia in World War II five ships were seized by Italy and called the Arbe-class.[8]

Monitors:

• Enns-class - The two ships of this class had a tertiary armament of two G. L/26 K16 BAK guns.[9] SMS Inn was ceded to Romania after World War I and was renamed Besarabia.[10] SMS Enns was ceded Yugoslavia and renamed Drava.[11]
• Sava-class - The two ships of this class had a tertiary armament of two G. L/26 K16 BAK guns.[12] Both ships were ceded to Yugoslavia after World War I and SMS Temes (II) was renamed Vardar,[13] while SMS Sava ceded to Romania and renamed Bucovina.[14]
• Körös-class - The two ships of this class had a secondary armament of two SFK L/42 guns.[15] SMS Körös was ceded to Yugoslavia after World War I and renamed Morava.[16]
• Leitha-class - One ship of this class the SMS Leitha received a SFK L/42 gun after a 1915 refit.[17]

Pre-dreadnought battleships:

• Erzherzog Karl-class - The three ships of this class had twelve SFK L/45 guns for anti-torpedo boat defense. Each ship received two G. L/45 BAG guns for anti-aircraft defense after 1916 refits.[18]
• Habsburg-class - The three ships of this class had ten SFK L/45 guns for anti-torpedo boat defense. Each ship received two G. L/45 BAG guns for anti-aircraft defense after 1916-17 refits.[19]

Protected cruisers:

• Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class - The two ships of this class were armed with two G. L/18 landing guns.
• Panther-class - The two ships of this class the SMS Panther and SMS Leopard received four SFK L/42 guns after 1909-10 refits.[20]

Submarines:

• U3-class - One ship of this class U-4 received one G. L/26 K15 BAK gun after a 1917 refit.[21]
• U20-class - Four ships of this class U-20, U-21, U-22 and U-23 received one G. L/26 K15 BAK gun.[22]

Torpedo boats:

• T-group - The eight ships of this group had a primary armament of two SFK L/45 or two L/30 K09 BAG guns.[23] Four were ceded to Romania and renamed Sborul, Vartejul, Viforul and Vijelia.[24] Four were ceded to Yugoslavia after World War I where they were named T1, T2, T3 and T4.[25] Following the defeat of Yugoslavia in World War II these ships were seized by Germany and Italy[26]
• F-group - The sixteen ships of this group had a primary armament two L/30 K09 BAG guns.[27] These were ceded to Greece, Portugal, Romania and Yugoslavia after World War I. Greece received Panormos, Pergamos and Proussa.[28] Portugal received Zêzere, Ave, Cávado, Sado, Liz and Mondego.[29] Romania received Năluca, Smeul and Fulgerul.[30] Yugoslavia received T5, T6, T7 and T8.
• M-group - The three ships of this group had a primary armament two L/30 K09 BAG guns.[31] The ships of this group were ceded to Greece and renamed Kydonia, Kios and Kyzikos.

Torpedo cruisers:

• Zara-class - The three ships of this class were armed with two SFK L/45 guns after 1917 refits.[32]

Ammunition

Ammunition was of fixed QF type. A complete round measured 66 x 575R[33] and the projectile weighed between 4–5.3 kg (8.8–11.7 lb).

Ammunition types:

• Steel shells
• Common shells
• Shrapnel[1]

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• Canon de 65 mm Modèle 1891: French equivalent
• Škoda 7 cm K10 and K16: Skoda successors to the TAG/BAG/BAK line

Users

•  Austria
•  Austria-Hungary
•  Greece
•  Hungary
•  Italy
•  Portugal
•  Romania
•  Yugoslavia

Notes

1. Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. S. Yorkshire: Seaforth Pub. ISBN 978-1848321007. OCLC 751804655.
2. Friedman, p. 294
3. "HUSZÁR destroyers (1905-1909) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
4. "Smyrni destroyer (1906/1919) - Hellenic Navy (Greece)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
5. "TÁTRA destroyers (1913-1914) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
6. "Fasana (1913 - 1914 / 1920) and Grado (1917 - 1918 / 1920) destroyers - Regia Marina (Italy)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
7. "WARASDINER destroyer (1914) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
8. "Malinska minelayers-minesweepers (1931) - Yugoslavian Navy (Yugoslavia)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
9. "ENNS river monitors (1914-1915) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
10. "Basarabia river monitor (1915/1920) - Romanian Navy (Romania)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
11. "Drava river monitor (1914/1918) - Yugoslavian Navy (Yugoslavia)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
12. "SAVA river monitors (1915) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
13. "Soca river monitors (1915/1918-1919) - Yugoslavian Navy (Yugoslavia)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
14. "Bucovina river monitor (1915/1920) - Romanian Navy (Romania)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
15. "KÖRÖS river monitors (1892) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
16. "Morava river monitor (1892/1918) - Yugoslavian Navy (Yugoslavia)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
17. "LEITHA river monitors (1871) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
18. "ERZHERZOG KARL battleships (1906-1907) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
19. "HABSBURG battleships (1902-1904) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
20. "PANTHER protected cruisers (1885-1886) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
21. "U3 submarines (1909) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
22. "U20 submarines (1916-1917) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
23. "TB 74T torpedo boats (1914) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
24. "Viforul torpedo boats (1914/1920) - Romanian Navy (Romania)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
25. "T1 torpedo boats (1914/1919) - Yugoslavian Navy (Yugoslavia)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
26. "T1 (1914 / 1941) and T5 (1915 - 1916 / 1941) torpedo boats - Regia Marina (Italy)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
27. "TB 82F torpedo boats (1915-1916) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
28. "Panormos torpedo boats (1916/1920) - Hellenic Navy (Greece)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
29. "Zezere torpedo boats (19143-1915/1920) - Portuguese Navy (Portugal)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
30. "Naluca torpedo boats (1916/1920) - Romanian Navy (Romania)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
31. "TB 98M torpedo boats (1915-1916) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
32. "ZARA torpedo ships (1880-1881) - K-u-K Marine (Austro-Hungarian Navy) (Austria-Hungary)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
33. "48-57 MM CALIBRE CARTRIDGES". www.quarryhs.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-22.

References

• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations: An Illustrated Directory. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.