Germany
8.8 cm/30 (3.46") SK L/30
8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Tbts KL/30
8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Ubts L/30
8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Ubts + Tbts Flak L/30
Updated 05 February 2011
A low-powered gun originally developed as secondary armament for large coastal warships and river gunboats at the end of the 19th century and later used for older torpedo boats and U-boats during World War I.  Interesting in that the U-boat mounting could be collapsed to allow it to be lowered into the boat.  During World War I some guns were used in AA mountings.

Some U-boats had this gun replaced by the more-powerful 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Utof in 1917 - 1918.
WNGER_88mm-30_skc97_lowered_pic.jpg

8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Ubts L/30 in lowered position
WNGER_88mm-30_skc97_rear_pic.jpg

Rear view of 8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Ubts L/30 showing the collapsible mounting
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 8.8 cm/30 (3.46") SK L/30
8.8 cm/30 (3.46") Ubts L/30
Ship Class Used On Coastal Battleships
   Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm, Kaiser Friedrich III and Wittelsbach classes

Cruisers
   Kaiserin Augusta, Victoria Louise, Fürst Bismarck and Prinz Heinrich classes

Gunboats
   Iltis and Tsingtau classes

U-boats
   As built:  UB30-47, UB48, UC16, UC80 classes
   As re-armed:  UB18, UB21-25
Date Of Design about 1890
Date In Service 1892
Gun Weight 8.8 cm SK L/30:  1,420 lbs. (644 kg) including BM
8.8 cm Tbts KL/30:  0.490 tons (0.498 mt) including BM
8.8 cm Ubts KL/30:  0.492 tons (0.500 mt) including BM
8.8 cm Ubts + Tbts Flak L/30:  0.634 tons (0.644 mt) including BM
Gun Length oa about 104 in (2.640 m)
Bore length 8.8 cm SK L/30:  about 93.5 in (2.376 m)
8.8 cm Tbts KL/30:  about 93.9 in (2.385 m)
8.8 cm Ubts KL/30:  about 93.9 in (2.385 m)
8.8 cm Ubts + Tbts Flak L/30:  about 93.9 in (2.385 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 15 rounds per minute (?)
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Ammunition
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Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight 30.4 lbs. (13.8 kg)
Projectile Types and Weights 8.8 cm SK L/30:  HE 15.4 lbs. (7 kg)
All other guns:  HE - 22 lbs. (10 kg)
Bursting Charge 8.8 cm SK L/30:  N/A
All other guns:  3.1 lbs. (1.42 kg)
Projectile Length N/A
Complete round was 26.0 in (66.1 cm)
Propellant Charge N/A
Muzzle Velocity 8.8 cm SK L/30 (old gunboats):  2,021 fps (616 mps)
8.8 cm SK L/30:  2,198 fps (670 mps)
Other guns:  1,936 fps (590 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm:  250 - 290 rounds
Kaiser Friedrich III:  170 - 250 rounds
Wittelsbach:  150 rounds
Kaiserin Augusta, Victoria Louise and Prinz Heinrich:  200 rounds
Fürst Bismarck:  250 rounds
Iltis:  281 rounds
Tsingtau:  100 rounds
UB30-47:  116 rounds
UB48:  160 - 192 rounds
UC16:  100 - 133 rounds
UC80:  230 rounds
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Range
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Elevation With 15.4 lbs. (7.0 kg) HE Shell
Range @ 20 degrees
MV = 2,021 fps (616 mps)		 7,530 yards (6,890 m)
Range @ 20 degrees
MV = 2,198 fps (670 mps)		 8,000 yards (7,300 m)
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Range
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Elevation With 22 lbs. (10.0 kg) HE Shell
Range @ 30 degrees
(max of mounting)		 11,480 yards (10,500 m)
Range @ 45 degrees 12,900 yards (11,800 m)
Note:  At a firing angle of 30 degrees, the projectile reaches a maximum height of 6,400 feet (1,950 m) at a distance of 6,010 yards (5,500 m) from the muzzle.
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Coastal Battleships
   Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm (8), Kaiser Friedrich III (12 - later 14) and Wittelsbach (12):  N/A

Cruisers
   Kaiserin Augusta (8), Victoria Louise (10 - later 11), Fürst Bismarck (10) and Prinz Heinrich (10):  N/A

Gunboats
   Iltis (4) and Tsingtau (1):  N/A

U-boats
  All (1):  Ubts.L (15?)
Weight  Ubts.L:  3,617 lbs. (1,640 kg)
Elevation Ubts.L:  -10 / +30 degrees
Elevation Rate Manual operation, only
Train N/A
Train Rate Manual operation, only
Gun recoil N/A
Notes:

1) The Ubts.L mounting had a 3X left-mounted gunsight with a 12 degree viewing angle.  The recticle was illuminated by a battery.

2) Some of the Victoria Louise class had these guns replaced by the 8.8 cm/35 SK L/35.
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Data from
"Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships:  1906-1922" by Randal Gray and Robert Gardiner (Editor)
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
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Special help from Peter Lienau
Off-site Resources

8.8 cm/30 at Josephus Daniels (Secretary of the Navy 1913-1921) in Raleigh

Page History

22 March 2007 - Benchmark
05 February 2011 - Added information on additional 8.8 cm/30 gun types