Rapidkreuzer
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Rapidkreuzer (- in German, in English literally rapid cruiser ) was name of a class of warships of Austro-Hungarian Navy active during First World War.
Four ships were built and commisioned:
- SMS Admiral Spaun (1910)
- SMS Saida (1914)
- SMS Helgoland (1914)
- SMS Novara (1915)
Main armament the ships were 10 cm cannons and torpedo tubes, the armor was light. Speed of the ships was 27 knots, quite fast for the time.
Together with Tatra class torpedo boats they ideally suited the naval warfare of Adriatic. Numerous fast raids on Italian ports were undertaken. The most spectacular action was the successful attack of Novara, Helgoland and Saida on the Otranto barrier to 15 May 1917.
The weak point of Rapidkreuzer was its armament. Cannons of caliber 12 or 15 cm were considered but not added due to the war situation. Number of torpedu tubes was increased to 6 (8 for Admiral Spaun).
Another three ships with 12 cm cannons and maximum speed of 30 knots, projected as a replacement of Zenta class, never got over planning phase.
After the war the ships were given to the victorious Entente powers: Admiral Spaun was given to the Great Britain (scrapped in 1922). France incorporated Novara under the name Thionville into its fleet (scrapped in 1942). Italy took over Helgoland and Saida as Brindisi and Venezia (both scrapped in 1937).
[edit] Literature
- Erwin Sieche: "Kreuzer und Kreuzerprojekte der k.u.k. Kriegsmarine 1889-1918", Hamburg 2002 (ISBN 3-8132-0766-8 and ISBN 3-7083-0012-2)
- Paul Schmalenbach: "Kurze Geschichte der k. u. k. Marine", Herford 1970 (ISBN 3-7822-0047-0)
[edit] External links
- Details and photos of Admiral Spaun (text in German)
- Details and photos of Saida, Helgoland and Novara (text in German)
- Post war distribution of Austro-Hungarian warships
