Braunschweig class battleship
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 German High Seas Fleet, with a member of the Braunschweig class in the lead. |
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| Career (German Empire) |  |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Braunschweig class |
| Displacement: | 14,167 tons |
| Length: | 419 ft (128 m) |
| Beam: | 73 ft (22 m) |
| Draught: | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Propulsion: | 3 shafts triple expansion 17,000 ihp (13,000 kW) |
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,200 nautical miles (10,000 km); 10 knots (20 km/h) |
| Complement: | 743 |
| Armament: | 4 × 28 cm (11 in) / 40 caliber guns 14 × 17 cm (6.7 in) guns 14 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes |
| Armor: | Belt 9–4 inches turrets 10 inches (250 mm) deck 3 inches (76 mm) |
The Braunschweig class battleships were pre-dreadnought battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine. The class comprised five ships, the Braunschweig, the Elsaß, the Hessen, the Preußen, and the Lothringen. One of them, the Hessen, was at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
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[edit] Construction
Work began on the lead ship of the class in October, 1901, in Kiel, Germany, followed by the Elsaß in Danzig, in the same year. In April 1902, Hessen was laid down in Kiel and Preußen was laid down in Stettin. Later that year, in December, Lothringen was also laid down in Danzig.
Braunschweig was completed in October 1904, followed by Elsaß a month later. Hessen was completed in September 1905, and construction on Preußen was finished by December of that year. Lothringen was finished by May, 1906.
[edit] Design
[edit] Dimensions and machinery
The Braunschweig class ships were 413ft 3in at the waterline, and 419 ft (128 m) overall. The ships had a beam of 73 ft (22 m), and a draft of 26 ft 7 in (8.1 m) The ships displaced 14,167 tons.
The ships of the Braunschweig class were propelled by three shaft triple expansion engines that were rate at 17,000 ihp (13,000 kW). The ships' top speed was rated at 18 knots (33 km/h). During trials, however, the engines produced between 16,400 ihp (12,200 kW) and 16,800 ihp (12,500 kW), and a top speed between 18.2 and 18.7 knots (34.6 km/h).
[edit] Armor
The ships had an armored belt that was nine inches (229 mm) thick at its strongest point, and tapered to 4 inches (100 mm) at the thinnest. The turrets had ten inches (254 mm) of armor plate. The decks were covered with three inches (76 mm) of armor.
[edit] Armament
The ships' main armament was increased from previous designs, but still weaker than contemporary foreign battleships. The main armament comprised four 28 cm (11 in) guns, increased from four 24 cm (9.4 in) guns from previous designs, compared with the 12 in (30 cm) guns used on many foreign ships. The secondary battery consisted of fourteen 17 cm (6.7 in) guns, four of which were mounted in single turrets amidships, with the remaining ten in casemates around the superstructure. The ships also had fourteen 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns in casemates along the length of the ship. They were also armed with six 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes.
[edit] Service history
[edit] World War I
At the start of the First World War, the members of the Braunschweig class were assigned to IV Battle Squadron, and tasked with coastal defense duties. In 1916, Hessen was assigned to II Battle Squadron, and participated in the Battle of Jutland.
By 1917, all of the ships of the class had been withdrawn from combat units, and relegated to auxiliary duties. Braunschweig, Elsaß, and Lothringen became training ships, and Hessen and Preußen were converted into depot ships for minesweepers.
[edit] Post World War I
In the years following World War I, Braunschweig, Elsaß, and Hessen were to be rebuilt as coastal defense ships, although this plan was abandoned.[1] In 1931, Lothringen and Preußen were scrapped, followed by Braunschweig in 1932. Elsaß was scrapped in 1936, while Hessen survived into the 1960s. Hessen was captured by the Soviet Navy in World War II, and used as a target ship until she was scrapped in the early 1960s.
[edit] References
- ^ Hore, Peter: The Ironclads, page 68. Anness Publishing Ltd, 2006. ISBN 978-1-84476-299-6
[edit] External links
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