Description

This weapon armed most cruisers built in the early 1900s, with 125 guns manufactured during that time. During World War I, additional guns were built and used as AAA weapons. Late in the war some destroyers and submarines were also armed with these weapons.

During World War II, most surviving guns were altered to take the same ammunition as the 10.5 cm/45 SK C/32 and they were then used on U-boats and small combatants. Guns so modified added (n R) [nachgebohrte Rorhe - "improved drilled barrel"] at the end of their designations, such as 10.5 cm SK L/45 (n R).

Gun Characteristics

Designation 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK L/45
10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK C/06
10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Flak L/45
10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Tbts L/45
10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Ubts L/45
Ship Class Used On 1907 to 1918
    Cruisers: Kolberg, Magdeburg, Karlsruhe and Graudenz classes
    Destroyers: G96 and V170 classes
    Submarines: U61 and U62

1925 to 1945
    Type 23 Torpedo Boats (Möwe class), F-boats, Type 40 and older minesweepers
    Some Type VII submarines as refitted
Date Of Design 1906
Date In Service 1907
Gun Weight 3,200 lbs. (1,450 kg)
Gun Length oa about 186 in (4.725 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

Ammunition

Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight HE L/3,6: 56.2 lbs. (25.5 kg)
Projectile Types and Weights 1 HE L/3,6: 38.4 lbs. (17.4 kg)
Illum L/4,1: 32.4 lbs. (14.7 kg)
Bursting Charge 2 HE L/3,6: 1.65 lbs. (0.747 kg) TNT
Projectile Length HE L/3,6: about 14.9 in (37.8 cm)
Illum L/4,1: about 16.9 in (43.05 cm)
Propellant Charge HE L/3,6: 7.0 lbs. (3.175 kg) RP C/12 (544 x 7,5/4)
Illum L/4,1: 7.0 lbs. (3.19 kg) RP mixture (544 x 8/5,25)
Muzzle Velocity HE L/3,6: 2,329 fps (710 mps)
Illum L/4,1: 2,130 fps (650 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun 1907 to 1918
    Cruisers: 150 rounds (later increased to 183)
    G96 and V170 Destroyers: 80 rounds
    V25 Destroyers (as rearmed): 70 rounds
    B97 Destroyers (as rearmed): 80 rounds
    Submarines: Between 100 and 250 rounds

1925 to 1945
    Möwe: 100 rounds
    Others: N/A
  • ^
    Actual German designations
    HE L/3,6 10,5 cm Spgr. L/3,6
    Illumination L/4,1 10,5 cm Lg L/4,1
  • ^Burster weights (reiner Sprengstoff) from M.Dv. Nr. 198.

Range

Range with HE L/3,6
Elevation Distance
30 degrees 13,890 yards (12,700 m)
AA Ceiling
(Flak 45 only)		 about 27,000 feet (8,230 m)
  • This data is for performance during World War I. For performance during World War II, see the 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK C/32 data page.
  • During the Falklands Battle of 1914, these 10.5 cm (4.1") guns on SMS Nürnberg significantly outranged the 6"/45 (15.2 cm) guns on HMS Kent. Likewise during this same battle, the 10.5 cm (4.1") guns on SMS Leipzig outranged the 6"/50 (15.2 cm) guns on HMS Glasgow. However, the heavier British shells with their Lyddite bursters were much more effective than the lighter German ones.

Mount / Turret Data

Designation 1907 to 1918 1b
    Cruisers (12): MPL C/06
    Destroyers B97 (4), V25 (3), G96 (3) and V170 (4): Tbts LC/16
    Submarines (1): Ubts LC/16
    Capital Ships (AA Mountings): Flak 45

1925 to 1945
    Möwe (3): Tbts LC/16
    Some small combatants used the MPLC/30 which was an 8.8 cm mounting modified to take the larger weapon
Weight 6,020 lbs. (2,730 kg)
Elevation MPL C/06: -10 / +30 degrees
Tbts LC/16: -10 / +50 degrees
Ubts LC/16: -10 / +50 degrees
Flak 45: -5 / +70 degrees
MPLC/30: -9 / +80 degrees
Elevation Rate Hand operated, only
Train 360 degrees
Train Rate Hand operated, only
Gun recoil 8 - 9 in (20 - 23 cm)

  • ^Some torpedo boats replaced their 8.8 cm/45 guns with these more powerful weapons starting in the summer of 1916. A few Reichsmarine torpedo boats were rearmed with these guns in 1921.

Additional Pictures

Sources

"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
"Graf Spee's Raiders: Challenge to the Royal Navy, 1914-1915" by Keith Yates
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"Merkbuch über die Munition für die 10,5 cm S.K. C/32 u. 10,5 cm Ubts u. Tbts Flak L/45 (n R) u. 10,5 cm S.K. L/45 (n R) u. 10,5 cm Flak L/45 (n R)" M.Dv. Nr. 170,21 by Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine
"Übersicht über die für die Marinegeschütze und deren Abk K zu verwendende Munition und ihre Einzelteile einschließlich Salut- und Manöverladungen" M.Dv. Nr. 198 by Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine
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Special Help from Peter Lienau and Thorsten Wahl

Page History

19 February 2008 - Benchmark
20 May 2012 - Updated to latest template
18 February 2019 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added (n R) information and reorganized notes
29 August 2024 - Added burster weight, Illumination projectile and propellant information