German dreadnought battleship SMS (ex-Ersatz Brandenburg) Kronprinz 1912-1918 and SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm 1918-1919

Kaiser-class

König-class

Bayern-class

Part of the König-class consisting of the König, Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf and Kronprinz. Preceded by the Kaiser-class and succeeded by the Bayern-class. Ordered as the Ersatz Brandenburg, laid down at the Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany under yard number 182 in May 1912, launched on 21 February 1914, commissioned on 8 November 1914, renamed SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm on 15 June 1918 and scuttled by her own crew at Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney Isles, Scotland on 21 June 1919. Building costs 45 million Goldmarks.

Displacement 25.796 (normal)-28.600 (full load) tons and as dimensions 174,5 x 29,5 x 9,19 metres or 575.6 x 96.9 x 30.2 feet. The machinery consisted of 3 Parsons turbines, 2 oil fuelled and 12 coal fuelled Schulz-Thonycroft boilers supplying via 3 shafts 45.570 shp allowing a speed of 21 knots and with a speed of 12 knots a range of 8.000 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 1.136 men. The Krupp cemented armour consisted of a 35cm/14” thick belt, a 3cm/1,2” thick deck, the gun turrets 11cm/4.3” (roofs)-30cm/12” (sides), 15cm guns mounted in casemates protected by 17cm/6.7”armour and 8cm/3.1” splinter gun shields, forward conning tower protected by 15cm/5.9” (roof)-30cm/12” (sides) and rear conning tower 5cm/2.0“(roof)-20cm/7.9“ (sides). The armament consisted of 5x2-30,5cm/12” L/45 quick firing guns, 14x1-15cm/5.9” L/45 quick firing guns, 6x1-8,8cm/3.5” L/45 quick firing guns and 5-50cm/19.7” submerged torpedo tubes(1xbow, 2 each side).