SMS Karlsruhe in Scapa Flow 1919 |
|
| Career (German Empire) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Karlsruhe |
| Namesake: | Karlsruhe |
| Ordered: | 1913 |
| Builder: | Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven |
| Laid down: | May 1915 |
| Launched: | 31 January 1916 |
| Commissioned: | December 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Königsberg class light cruiser |
| Displacement: | Design: 5,440 t (5,350 long tons; 6,000 short tons) Full load: 7,125 t (7,012 long tons; 7,854 short tons) |
| Length: | 151.4 m (497 ft) |
| Beam: | 14.2 m (47 ft) |
| Draft: | 5.96 m (19.6 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 31,000 shp (23,000 kW), two shafts |
| Speed: | 27.5 knots (50.9 km/h) |
| Range: | 4,850 nmi (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Crew: | 17 officers 458 enlisted men |
| Armament: |
8 × 15 cm SK L/45 guns |
| Armor: | Belt: 60 mm (2.4 in) Deck: 60 cm |
SMS Karlsruhe was a light cruiser of the Königsberg class, built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was named after the earlier Karlsruhe, which had sunk in November 1914, from an accidental explosion.
Contents |
Karlsruhe was ordered under the contract name "Ersatz Niobe" and was laid down at the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel in 1915. She was launched on 31 January 1916, after which fitting-out work commenced. She was commissioned into the High Seas Fleet on 15 November 1916. The ship was 151.4 meters (497 ft) long overall and had a beam of 14.2 m (47 ft) and a draft of 5.96 m (19.6 ft) forward. She displaced 7,125 t (7,012 long tons; 7,854 short tons) at full combat load. Her propulsion system consisted of two sets of steam turbines powered by ten coal-fired and two oil-fired Marine-type boilers. These provided a top speed of 27.5 kn (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph) and a range of 4,850 nautical miles (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph).[1]
The ship was armed with eight 15 cm SK L/45 guns in single pedestal mounts. Two were placed side by side forward on the forecastle, four were located amidships, two on either side, and two were arranged in a super firing pair aft.[2] They were supplied with 1,040 rounds of ammunition, for 130 shells per gun. Karlsruhe also carried two 8.8 cm (3.5 in) L/45 anti-aircraft guns mounted on the centerline astern of the funnels. She was also equipped with a pair of 60 cm (24 in) torpedo tubes with eight torpedoes in deck-mounted swivel launchers amidships. She also carried 200 mines. The ship was protected by a waterline armored belt that was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick amidships. The conning tower had 100 mm (3.9 in) thick sides, and the deck was covered with 60 mm thick armor plate.[1]
Upon commissioning, Karlsruhe served in the II Scouting Group alongside her sisters Königsberg and Nürnberg. The ship was interned at Scapa Flow at the end of the war. The ship was the only one of the class that managed to scuttle along with the rest of the High Seas Fleet. Nürnberg and Emden were both beached by British sailors before they sank; Königsberg had been ceded to France, and wasn't present at Scapa Flow. The ship is now a popular dive site,and lies on her side in 24m of water in the middle of Scapa Flow,the shallowest part of the wreck being just 12m down.
|
||||||||