German armoured cruiser SMS (ex-"D") Scharnhorst 1905-1914

Roon-class

Scharnhorst-class

Blücher-class

Laid down at the shipyard of Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany with yard number 175 on 3 January 1905, launched on 22 June 1906, commissioned on 24 October 1907 and sunk in a battle with the British fleet during the so-called Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914.

Of the Schanhorst-class consisting of the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau. Preceded by the Roon-class and succeeded by the SMS Blücher. General technical specifications of this class. Displacement 11.616 tons/11.433 long tons12.804 short tons (standard)-12.985 tons/12.780 long tons/14.314 short tons (full load) with as dimensions 143.8 (waterline) 144,6 (overall) x 21,6 x 8,37 metres or 472-474.5 x 70.10 x 26.6 feet. The 3 shaft triple expansion engines and 18 water-tube boilers supplied 26.000 ihp (design) allowing a speed of 22,7 knots; during the trials 28.782 ihp and a speed of 23m5 knots. Coal bunker capacity 800 tons/880 short tons (standard)-2.000 tons/2.200 short tons (maximum). Range with a cruising speed of 12 knots was 4.800 nautical miles. Their crew numbered 840 men (included 52 officers). The armour consisted of a 15cm/5.9” thick belt, a 3,5-6cm/1.4-2.4” thick deck and with the gun turrets protected by 18c,/7.1” thick armour. The armament consisted of 2x4&4x1-21cm/8.3” L/40 quick firing guns, 6x1-15cm/5.9” L/40 quick firing guns, 18x1-8,8cm/3.5” guns and 4-45cm/18” submerged torpedo tubes (1x bow, 2 sides, 1 stern).