| 38 cm Siegfried K (E) | |
| Origin: | Nazi Germany |
| Type: | Railway gun |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Is Artillery: | yes |
| Is Uk: | no |
| Service: | 1941–1945 |
| Used By: | Nazi Germany |
| Wars: | World War II |
| Designer: | Krupp |
| Design Date: | 1939 - 1941 |
| Manufacturer: | Krupp |
| Number: | 4 |
| Weight: | 286t |
| Length: | 31.32m (102.76feet) |
| Part Length: | 18.405m (60.384feet) L/48.4 |
| Cartridge: | separate-loading, cased charge |
| Caliber: | 380mm |
| Velocity: | 820- |
| Max Range: | 55700m (182,700feet) |
| Breech: | horizontal sliding-block |
| Recoil: | hydro-pneumatic |
| Carriage: | 2 x 8-axle bogies |
| Elevation: | 0° to 52.3° |
| Traverse: | none (on mount) 360° (on turntable) |
The 38 cm Siegfried K (E) was a German World War II railway gun based on the 38 cm SK C/34 naval gun that served as the main armament of the s. Only four were produced. K stands for Kanone (cannon), E for Eisenbahnlafette (on railroad mounting).
Like the 38 cm SK C/34 naval guns deployed as coastal defense, the 38 cm Siegfried K guns were modified with a larger chamber to handle the increased amount of propellant used for the special long-range Siegfried shells.[1] [2]
The gun had no ability to traverse on its mount, relying instead on moving along a curving section of track or on a Vögele turntable to aim. The turntable (Drehscheibe) consisted of a circular track with a pivot mount in the center for a platform on which the railroad gun itself was secured. A ramp was used to raise the railway gun to the level of the platform. The platform had rollers at each end which rested on the circular rail for 360° traverse. It had a capacity of 300t, enough for most of the railroad guns in the German inventory. The gun could only be loaded at 0° elevation and so had to be re-aimed for each shot.[3]
The gun used the standard German naval system of ammunition where the base charge was held in a metallic cartridge case and supplemented by another charge in a silk bag which was rammed first.
Four types of shells were used by the 38 cm Siegfried K (E), including the special long-range Siegfried shell (Siegfried—Granate) developed by the army. Almost 40 per-cent lighter, it could be fired with a reduced charge at 920m/s to 40000m (130,000feet). With a full charge it reached 1050m/s and could travel 55700m (182,700feet) - equivalent to over 34.5 miles.[4]
| Shell name | Weight | Filling Weight | Muzzle velocity | Range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nose-fused HE shell with ballistic cap (Sprenggranate L/4.6 m KZ m Hb) | 800kg (1,800lb) | Unknown | 820m/s | 42000m (138,000feet) | |
| base-fused HE shell with ballistic cap (Sprenggranate L/4.4 m BdZ m Hb)) | 800kg (1,800lb) | Unknown | 820m/s | 42000m (138,000feet) | |
| base-fused AP shell with ballistic cap (Panzer- Sprenggranate L/4.4 m BdZ m Hb)) | 800kg (1,800lb) | Unknown | 820m/s | 42000m (138,000feet) | |
| nose- and base-fused HE shell with ballistic cap (Si-Gr L/4.5 Bdz u. Kz (m.Hb)) (light load) | 495kg (1,091lb) | 69kg (152lb) TNT | 920NaN | 40000m (130,000feet) | |
| nose- and base-fused HE shell with ballistic cap (Si-Gr L/4.5 Bdz u. Kz (m.Hb)) (full load) | 495kg (1,091lb) | 69kg (152lb) TNT | 1050NaN | 55700m (182,700feet) |