15 cm SK C/28

The Drh. LC/34 twin-gun mount was the most common mount for the gun in the Kriegsmarine. It was used as the secondary armament of the Bismarck-class and Scharnhorst-class battleships and was planned to equip the proposed H-class battleships. The mount weighed between 114–120 tonnes (112–118 long tons; 126–132 short tons), depending on its armor thickness; the Scharnhorst's mounts had between 14–3 cm (5.5–1.2 in) of armor while the Bismarck's had 10–2 cm (3.94–0.79 in). Maximum elevation was 40°, giving a range of 23,000 metres (25,000 yd) and maximum depression was -10°, while maximum elevating speed was 8° per second. Each mount was designed for full 360° of traverse, but was limited to much less than that by the ship's superstructure. Speed in train was a maximum of 9° per second. The fastest firing cycle was 7.5 seconds, or 8 rounds per minute. Ammunition was supplied by twin hoists between the guns, at the rear of the mount. The M-class cruiser was intended to use a lighter version of this mount with thinner armor that only weighed approximately 102 tonnes (100 long tons; 112 short tons). This may have designated as the Drh. LC/40, but development ceased when the ships were canceled in 1939.[1][2]

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau also carried four single MPL C/35 mounts that weighed 26.71 tonnes (26.29 long tons; 29.44 short tons) with armor between 6–2 cm (2.36–0.79 in) thick. Each mount could depress -10° and elevate to 35°; this gave a maximum range of 22,000 metres (24,000 yd). The MPL C/28 mount used in the Deutschland-class cruisers was virtually identical to the newer mount except its gun shield was smaller so it weighed only 24.83 tonnes (24.44 long tons; 27.37 short tons).[1]

The Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers were going to carry eight twin-gun Dopp MPL C/36 casemate mountings. These weighed 47.6 tonnes (46.8 long tons; 52.5 short tons) and had an armored shield 30 millimetres (1.2 in) thick. The mount elevated at a speed of 6° per second and trained at a rate of 8° per second.[1]

The Küsten-Marinepivotlafette (Küst. MPL C/36) was a highly successful mobile coast defense mount fitted with a gun shield. The gun traversed on a six-legged firing platform that allowed 360° of traverse. It could depress -7° and elevate to a maximum of 47° 30', which gave it a range of 23,500 metres (25,700 yd). The gun on its carriage weighed 19,761 kilograms (43,566 lb). It was towed via two two-axle trailers, one at each end. For travel the four lateral legs of the platform folded vertically. It entered service in 1940.[3]

Production of carriages for the 21 cm Mörser 18 and the 17 cm Kanone 18 in Mörserlafette exceeded the available number of barrels in 1941 and eight SK C/28 barrels were adapted for use on the carriages as the 15 cm Schiffskanone C/28 in Mörserlafette. They were converted to Heer-standard percussion firing. Most guns were replaced by 17 centimetres (6.7 in) barrels as they became available, but one battery retained them through the beginning of the Battle of Kursk in July 1943.[4]

The SK C/28 used several different shells depending on its target. The 15 cm Sprgr L/4.6 KZ m Hb weighed 45.5 kg (100 lb) and had a muzzle velocity of 785 m/s (2,580 ft/s). It was a nose-fused HE shell with ballistic cap with two copper driving band and a lead ring behind them to act as a decoppering device by scraping away any copper residue from the driving band. The 15 cm Sprgr L/4.5 Bd Z m. Hb was a base-fused shell with a ballistic cap and weighed 44.8 kg (99 lb). It was roughly equivalent to the British "Common Pointed" and also used a lead decoppering ring. The armor-piercing 15 cm Pzgr L/3.8 m Hb shell had a ballistic cap and weighed 45.3 kg (100 lb). All shells used 14.1 kg (31 lb) of propellant in an artificial silk bag, housed in a brass cartridge case.[5] An illumination shell was also available, although details are unknown.[1]

• BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun : approximate British equivalent
• 6"/47 caliber Mark 16 gun : approximate US equivalent