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Wednesday, 20 April 2016

German pre-dreadnought battleship (ex-'G') Schwaben 1900-1921

Kaiser Friedrich III-class


Wittelsbach-class

Braunschweig-class

Building ordered under the contract name ‘G’, laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 15 September 1900, launched on 19 August 1901, commissioned on 13 April 1904, cadet engineering training ship since 1916, F-type minesweepers depot ship in the Baltic since 1919, stricken on 8 March 1921 and broken up in 1921

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 13.253 hp allowing a maximum speed of 16,9 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.