21 cm L/35

The 21 cm L/35 were a family of German naval artillery developed in the years before World War I and used in limited numbers. This gun armed warships of the Argentine Navy, Imperial Chinese Navy, Royal Danish Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy before and after World War I.^[2] It was used in the First Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion and a ship captured by Japan in the Sino-Japanese War was later used in the Russo-Japanese War.

21 cm L/35
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	German Empire
Service history
In service	1890–1936
Used by	Argentine Navy Imperial Chinese Navy Royal Danish Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Royal Netherlands Navy
Wars	First Sino-Japanese War Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War
Production history
Designer	Krupp
Designed	1886
Manufacturer	Krupp
Produced	1890
Variants	No. 1 and No. 2
Specifications
Mass	No. 1: 13.9 t (15.3 short tons) No. 2: 14.6 t (16.1 short tons)
Length	7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Barrel length	6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Shell weight	140 kg (310 lb)
Caliber	209.3 mm (8.24 in) 35 caliber
Muzzle velocity	No. 1: 548 m/s (1,800 ft/s) with 43 kg (95 lb) propellant charge No. 2: 580 m/s (1,900 ft/s) with 54 kg (119 lb) propellant charge[1]

History

In 1886, Krupp designed the 21 cm L/35 and started production for export customers in 1890. The 21 cm L/35 was produced in two models the No. 1 and No. 2. The main difference between the two guns was their weight, rifling, propellant charges and muzzle velocities. Otherwise their overall length and ammunition were the same.^[3]

The 21 cm came in different variants:^[4]

• Model 1880: L25, L30, L35
• Model 1887: L35, L40
• Model 1889: L40, L50

Naval use

Argentina

• ARA Veinticinco de Mayo – one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun fore and one shielded, 21 cm L/35 gun aft

China

• Jingyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette
• Laiyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette
• Jiyuan – two 21 cm L/35 guns mounted in a forward barbette

Denmark

• HDMS Valkyrien – one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun fore and one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun aft

Netherlands

The Dutch navy used:^[4]

• 21 cm A No. 1 = Model 1880/L35
• 21 cm A No. 2 = Model 1887/L35^[5][6]

The 21 cm A No. 1 was used on:

• Evertsen-class coastal defence ship – two mounted 21 cm L/35 turret guns fore and one aft^[7]
• Ever-class gunboat – one forward shielded 21 cm L/35 gun after 1890s refits^[8]

The 21 cm A No. 2 was used on:

• HNLMS Koningin Wilhelmina der Nederlanden – secondary armament of one shielded 21 cm L/35 gun aft^[9][6]
• HNLMS Sumatra – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret
• HNLMS Reinier Claeszen – one 21 cm L/35 gun in a forward turret^[5]

Gallery

• 
  The forward barbette of the Jingyuan renamed Saien in IJN service which was sunk during the Russo-Japanese War.
• 
  A 21 cm L/35 gun at the German fort at Tsingtau.