100 56 TK
| 100 56 TK | |
|---|---|
 100 56 TK in Kuivasaari island in 2009 | |
| Type | Fixed coastal artillery gun |
| Place of origin | Finland Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1969–2012[1][2] |
| Used by | Coastal artillery of Finland |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 5.608 m (18 ft 5 in) (total) 5.350 m (17 ft 7 in) (barrel without breech) 4.630 m (15 ft 2 in) (rifled part) |
| Crew | 1 + 8 |
| Caliber | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Carriage | Fixed coastal fortification |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | 6 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 880 m/s (2,900 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 18 km (11 mi) |
100 56 TK or 100 TK ("100 mm, 56 length caliber, turret gun") is a
Background
After
Design
The total barrel length of the 100 TK is 5,608 millimetres (221 in). The maximum range is about 18 kilometres (11 mi). The sustained fire rate is 6 rounds per minute and the muzzle velocity is 880 metres per second (2,900 ft/s) with HE-FRAG shells. The breech block weighs 63.4 kilograms (140 lb). The breech mechanism is semi-automatic and the gun is loaded manually. Guns were modified for a higher maximum elevation and necessary equipment for indirect fire was added. Since the turrets were intended for coastal fortifications the turret insides were coated with asbestos-cork mixture to prevent moisture from condensing into gun position. Messaging, electric and ventilation systems were left mostly intact. A fully automatic loading system would have taken too much space, and simple counterweight operated shell hoisting mechanism was developed to transfer ammunition up to the turret.[3]
Operation and modifications
The first battery was built in 1968–1969. After these batteries were built in 14 sea fortresses, each one equipped with 4 such turrets. The Russians, who had been informed by this program, seemed surprised.[5] At first only gun positions were built, but since the 1970s a second construction phase began to create integrated positions with command- and storage facilities and to improve air- and close defence positions. One turret was built on a wooden platform for testing and training purposes.[3]
In the 1980s planning for a major maintenance and modernization program began. The largest modifications were the electrical system in the turrets and the gun periscope. New periscopes were ordered from
The ammunition for the guns has not fulfilled all the expectation. The most serious shortcoming was the lack of dedicated anti-ship shells. In addition to normal tank gun ammunition and air burst shells with mechanical time-delay fuse, semi-armour piercing shells from
Decommissioning
Most 100 TK batteries were deactivated in 2006–2007 because of closure of the coastal forts due to budgetary reasons as well as the obsolescence of the stationary coastal artillery.[1] The second phase of the deactivation was completed in 2012 after the last live firings in Upinniemi. Most of the turrets have since been transported away for scrapping or resale. The 100 TK battery in Kuivasaari will be preserved as a museum battery.[2]
References
- ^ a b Ahlman, J.: Rannikkolinnakkeiden tulevaisuus Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Uudenmaan liitto, 2008.
- ^ a b Jäähyväiset 100 TK:lle. Rannikon Puolustaja 1/2013 Archived 2017-11-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
- ^ ISBN 951-25-1033-2
- ^ Tuominen, Juha (2007), Panssari-ilmatorjuntaa Suomessa 1942-2006, Espoo: Ilmatorjuntaupseeriyhdistyksen Hämeen osasto, p. 67
- ISBN 951-20-6452-9