German pre-dreadnought battleship (ex-'E') Zähringen 1899-1950

Kaiser Friedrich III-class

Wittelsbach-class

after conversion into a target

Braunschweig-class

Building ordered under the contract name ‘E’, laid down at the Germaniawerft, Kiel in 1899, launched on 12 June 1901, commissioned on 25 October 1902, converted into a target ship in 1917, converted in to a radio-controlled target ship between 1927-1928, sunk by British aircraft in Gotenhafen [nowadays Gdynia, Poland] on 18 December 1944, temporarily raised and deliberately scuttled to block the harbour when the German forces were leaving the town on 26 March 1945 and in situ broken up between 1949-1950.

Of the Wittelsbach-class built under the Naval Law of 1898, consisting of the Wittelsbach, Wettin, Zähringen, Schwaben and Mecklenburg precedent by the Kaiser Friederich III-class and succeeded by the Braunschweig-class. General technical class specifications. Displacement 11.774 tons/11.588 long tons (standard)-12.798 tons/12.596 long tons (combat)) and as dimensions 125,2 (waterline)-126,8 (over all) x 22,8 x 7,95 (fore) metres or 410’9”-416’0”x 74’10”x 26’1”. The 3-3cylinder triple expansion steam engines, 6 transverse cylindrical boilers  and 6 marine-type boilers supplied via 3 shafts 14.000 hp allowing a speed of 18 knots or with a speed of 10 knots and coal bunker capacity of 650-1.800 (maximum) tons a range of 5.000 nautical miles. Their crew numbered 683 (included 33 officers)-762 (included 46 officers while acting as a flagship) men. The Krupp armour consisted of a 10-22,5cm/3.9-8.9” thick belt, a 5cm/2.0” thick deck, the main gung turrets protected by 5cm (roofs)-25cm/9.8” (sides), 15cgm gun turrets by 7cm/2.8” (roofs)-15cm/5.9“ (sides), forward conning tower 25cm/9.8” (sides)-3cm/1.2“(roof) and aft conning tower 3 (roof)-14cm (sides). The armament consisted of 2x2-24cm/9.4”40 cal guns, 18x1-15cm/4.9” guns, 12-8,8cm/3.5” quick firing guns, 12 machine guns and 6-45cm/17.7” torpedo tubes (surfaced swivel mountings). Described as having excellent sea going qualities. Divided by 14 watertight compartment and fitted out with a double bottom covering 70% of her hull length. Maximum speed after 1928 13,5 knots with 2-3 cylinder triple expansion engines with 2 naval oil-fired water tube boilers. Her crew was reduced to 67 men if not being used as a target.