Translate

Monday 24 October 2016

Austrian armoured cruiser SMS Karl VI 1896-1922


Laid down at Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino on 1 June 1896, launched on 4 October 1898, commissioned on 23 May 1900, decommissioned on 20 March 1918, ceded to England, sold to Vaccaro&Co. Steel plant and broken up at Naples, Italy in 1922.

Displacement 6.166 (design)-6.864 (full load) tons and as dimensions 117,9 (waterline)-118,96 (over all) x 17,27 x 6,75 metres or 387-390.3 x 56.8 x 22 feet. Crew numbered 535 men (included officers). The machinery consisted of 2-44 cylinder triple expansion steam engines and 16 coal fired Yarrow boilers supplying via 2 screw 12.000 ihp allowing a speed of 20,83 knots. The armour consisted of a 18cm/7.1”-22cm/8.7” thick belt, a 3,2cm/1.3”-6,4cm/2.5” thick deck with the barbettes and casemates protected by respectively 20,5cm/8.1” and 7,5cm/3.0”. The armament consisted of 2x1-34cm/9” L/40 Krupp guns, 8x1-15cm/6” /40 guns, 16-4,7cm/1.9” L/44 Skoda guns, 2-4,7cm/1.9” L/33 guns (replaced in June 1917 by 1-6,6cm/2.6” L/50 anti aircraft gun), 2-0,8cm Skoda machineguns  and 2-45cm/18” torpedo tubes(2x1 broadsides). Also fitted out with 2-7cm landing guns.