Class overview | |
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Operators | Imperial German Navy |
Preceded by | Cöln-class cruiser |
Succeeded by | Emden |
Completed | 0 |
The German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) created a series of fleet cruiser designs—designated Flottenkreuzer—in 1916 to follow the Cöln-class cruisers ordered in 1915. They were initially intended to favor high speed for reconnaissance over the heavier gun armament of the Cöln class, though by the final iterations, they were as powerful as the earlier class. The design staff ultimately drew up five different designs: FK 1, FK 1a, FK 2, FK 3, and FK 4. The proposals ranged in size from 3,000 metric tons (3,000 long tons; 3,300 short tons) to 7,500 t (7,400 long tons; 8,300 short tons) designed displacement and were armed with a main battery of between five and eight 15 cm (5.9 in) guns. Each proposed design grew in size over the preceding draft, as the weaponry and propulsion systems were increased. None of the designs were built, owing to shifting construction priorities in the German Navy in the last year of World War I.
General characteristics | |
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Type | Light cruiser |
Displacement |
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Beam |
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Draft |
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Speed | 32 to 33 knots (59 to 61 km/h; 37 to 38 mph) |
Range | 2,800 nmi (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
Complement |
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Armament |
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By 1916, thirteen German light cruisers had been lost in the course of World War I. To replace them, the Kaiserliche Marine ordered ten new cruisers of the Cöln class. [1] The next design, under the provisional name FK 1, or Flottenkreuzer (Fleet cruiser), was prepared in 1916. The design, which emphasized the reconnaissance role and high speed over combat power, was based on the British C-class cruisers at the request of Kaiser Wilhelm II. A modified design, named FK 1a, was a slightly larger vessel. [2]
FK 1 was 128 meters (420 ft) long at the waterline and 130 m (430 ft) long overall. The design had a beam of 11.6 m (38 ft); its forward draft was 4.9 m (16 ft) and the aft draft was 4.1 m (13 ft). The ship would have had a double bottom of approximately 52 percent of the length of the hull, and fifteen watertight compartments. The hull was constructed with longitudinal steel frames. As designed, the ship would have had a displacement of 3,000 metric tons (3,000 long tons; 3,300 short tons), with a full load combat displacement of 3,800 t (3,700 long tons; 4,200 short tons). The modified FK 1a was slightly larger, at 131 meters (430 ft) long at the waterline and 136 m (446 ft) long overall. The modified design had a beam of 12.4 m (41 ft) and a draft of 4.6 m (15 ft). The ship's hull would have been constructed as in FK 1, with the same number of watertight compartments and extent of double bottom. As designed, the ship would have had a displacement of 4,025 metric tons (3,961 long tons; 4,437 short tons), with a full load combat displacement of 4,850 t (4,770 long tons; 5,350 short tons). [2]
Both designs would have been powered by two sets of Marine-type steam turbines that each drove a three-bladed screw 3.5 m (11 ft) wide in diameter. FK 1 would have been equipped with five Marine-type oil-fired watertube boilers, while FK 1a would have had improved double-ended models. The propulsion system of FK 1 was rated at a maximum of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) for a top speed of 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph). The improved engines of FK 1a were rated at 52,000 shp (39,000 kW) and a maximum speed of 33 kn (61 km/h; 38 mph). The designs carried up to 1,000 t (980 long tons; 1,100 short tons) and 1,150 t (1,130 long tons; 1,270 short tons) of fuel oil, respectively, which permitted a cruising radius of 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at a speed of 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph). Both designs were equipped with three diesel generators that produced 300 kilowatts (400 hp) at 220 volts. Steering was controlled by a single rudder. [2]
The armament of both designs consisted of five 15 cm SK L/45 guns in single mounts, one forward, two abreast of the conning tower, and two in a superfiring pair aft of the rear superstructure. [2] The 15 cm gun fired a 45-kilogram (99 lb) shells at a muzzle velocity of 835 meters per second (2,740 ft/s). [3] FK 1 and FK 1a were supplied with 500 and 650 shells for their main batteries, respectively. The guns had a range of 17,600 m (57,700 ft). Both designs were equipped with a pair of 8.8 cm SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns, mounted on the centerline amidships. The guns were equipped with 100 rounds of ammunition each. [2] These guns fired a 10 kg (22 lb) shells. [4] Both ships would have carried four 60 cm (24 in) torpedo tubes mounted on the deck in swivel launchers. FK 1a was also equipped with 100 mines. Both designs called for a crew of 15 officers and 342 enlisted men. [2]
General characteristics | |
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Type | Light cruiser |
Displacement |
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Beam |
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Draft |
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Speed | 32 to 33 kn (59 to 61 km/h; 37 to 38 mph) |
Range | 2,800 nmi (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
Armament |
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Over the course of the design process that continued through 1916, the size of the projected cruisers increased as the navy added new design requirements. This resulted in the FK 2 design. The length increased to 144 m (472 ft) overall and 139 m (456 ft) at the waterline. Their beam increased to 13 m (43 ft), as did their draft, to 5.5 m (18 ft). Their displacement correspondingly rose to 4,500 t (4,400 long tons; 5,000 short tons) at normal load and 5,350 t (5,270 long tons; 5,900 short tons) at combat load, significantly greater than the original design. The FK 2 design was armed with five 15 cm SK L/45 guns and two 8.8 cm SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns. It was to carry the same 60 cm torpedo tubes in twin mounts as the earlier designs. The design retained the same propulsion system as the earlier designs, but with an improved engine type and an additional boiler, which produced an estimated 60,000 shp (45,000 kW) for a top speed of 32 knots. Range was to have been 2,800 miles at 17 knots, as in the original design. [5]
The next iteration, FK 3, brought even more increases. Displacement rose to 6,000 t (5,900 long tons; 6,600 short tons) normal and 6,900 t (6,800 long tons; 7,600 short tons) full load, double that of the original FK design. Length was 155 m (509 ft) at the waterline and 159 m (522 ft) overall, and the beam was 14.2 m (47 ft). The armament was also augmented by an additional two 15 cm and 1 8.8 cm gun. Since the size of the ship had increased, a more powerful propulsion system was necessary; a third set of turbines was added, and the number of boilers was increased to thirteen. This produced 70,000 shp (52,000 kW), for the same speed and range figures as in the previous designs. [6]
The final design, FK 4, was larger still. The standard displacement was 7,500 t (7,400 long tons; 8,300 short tons), and at combat load, this rose to 8,650 t (8,510 long tons; 9,530 short tons). The projected cruiser would have been 170 m (560 ft) long at the waterline, with a beam of 15.4 m (51 ft) and a draft of 6 m (20 ft). The armament was increased again, with an additional 15 cm gun. The ship's propulsion system would have included six coal-fired boilers and nine oil-fired models. [6]
Ultimately, none of these designs were ever built, much like other late-war German warship designs, such as the L 20e α-type battleships and the Ersatz Yorck-class battlecruisers. The German shipbuilding effort largely abandoned surface warship construction and instead focused on U-boat construction in the final years of the war. [5] [7]
The Königsberg class, sometimes referred to as the K class, was a class of light cruisers of the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. The class comprised three ships named after German cities: Königsberg, Karlsruhe, and Köln, all built between 1926 and 1930. These ships were the first of the Reichsmarine with a modern cruiser design; their predecessor, Emden, was based on World War I-era designs. They were armed with a main battery of nine 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and with twelve 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes.
The O class was a planned class of three battlecruisers for the Kriegsmarine before World War II. Prompted by a perceived lack in ship numbers when compared with the British Royal Navy, the O class' design was born with the suggestion of modifying the P-class cruiser design with 380 mm (15 in) guns instead of 283 mm (11.1 in).
The P class was a planned group of twelve heavy cruisers of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine; they were the successor to the Deutschland-class cruisers. Design work began in 1937 and continued until 1939; at least twenty designs were submitted with nine of them being considered. There were three designs that were selected as the final contenders. One design was armed with six 283mm main guns in one triple turret forward and one more turret aft. It had two 150mm double secondary gun turrets as secondary armament with one being positioned above and just fore of the aft of the main 283mm main turret, and the other being in front and lower of the front main gun turret. This design had more beam than the other 2 designs. It also mounted 2 seaplanes on its fantail instead of the mid ship area. The final design was armed with six 28 cm (11 in) quick-firing guns in two triple turrets, as in the preceding Deutschland class. The ships were designated as Panzerschiff, and given the preliminary names P1–P12. They were an improved design over the preceding planned D-class cruisers, which had been canceled in 1934. Although the ships were already assigned to shipyards, construction never began on the P-class ships after the O-class battlecruiser design superseded them.
The M-class cruisers were a class of light cruisers planned, but never built, by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine before World War II. The ships were designed for commerce raiding in the Atlantic Ocean. The design for the first four ships suffered from a number of problems, and so the fifth and sixth ships were substantially redesigned.
The Cöln class of light cruisers was Germany's last class commissioned before her defeat in World War I. Originally planned to comprise ten ships, only two were completed; Cöln and Dresden. Five more were launched, but not completed: Wiesbaden, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Rostock and Frauenlob, while another three were laid down but not launched: Ersatz Cöln, Ersatz Emden and Ersatz Karlsruhe. The design was a slightly modified version of the preceding Königsberg class.
The Wiesbaden class of light cruisers was a class of ships built by the German Kaiserliche Marine shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Two ships were built in this class, Wiesbaden and Frankfurt. They were very similar to the preceding design, the Graudenz class, though they were armed with eight 15 cm SK L/45 guns instead of the twelve 10.5 cm SK L/45 guns on the earlier vessels. The ships had a top speed of 27.5 knots.
The Brummer class consisted of two light mine-laying cruisers built for the Imperial German Navy in World War I: SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse. When the war broke out, the Germans had only two older mine-laying cruisers. Although most German cruisers were fitted for mine-laying, a need for fast specialized ships existed. The Imperial Russian Navy had ordered sets of steam turbines for the first two ships of the Svetlana-class cruisers from the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin. This machinery was confiscated on the outbreak of war and used for these ships. Both vessels were built by AG Vulcan.
The Königsberg class was a group of four light cruisers built for the German Imperial Navy. The class comprised four vessels: SMS Königsberg, the lead ship, SMS Nürnberg, SMS Stuttgart, and SMS Stettin. The ships were an improvement on the preceding Bremen class, being slightly larger and faster, and mounting the same armament of ten 10.5 cm SK L/40 guns and two 45 cm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes.
The Ersatz Yorck class was a group of three battlecruisers ordered but not completed for the German Kaiserliche Marine in 1916. The three ships had originally been ordered as additions to the Mackensen class, but developments abroad, particularly the British Renown-class battlecruisers, led to the navy re-designing the ships. The primary change was an increase of the main battery from eight 35-centimeter (14 in) guns to eight 38 cm (15 in) weapons. Work on the first ship had already begun by the time the navy decided to re-design the ships, so the design staff was constrained by the need to use the material already assembled.
The Königsberg class of light cruisers was a group of four ships commissioned into Germany's Kaiserliche Marine shortly before the end of World War I. The class comprised Königsberg, Karlsruhe, Emden, and Nürnberg, all of which were named after light cruisers lost earlier in the war. The ships were an incremental improvement over the preceding Wiesbaden-class cruisers, and were armed with a main battery of eight 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 guns and had a designed speed of 27.5 knots.
The Karlsruhe class of light cruisers was a pair of two ships built for the German Imperial Navy before the start of World War I. The ships—SMS Karlsruhe and Rostock—were very similar to the previous Magdeburg-class cruisers, mounting the same armament and similar armor protection, though they were larger and faster than the earlier ships. Both vessels were laid down in 1911, and launched one day apart, on 11 and 12 November 1912. Karlsruhe joined the fleet in January 1914, but fitting out work lasted slightly longer on her sister; Rostock was commissioned the following month.
The Pillau class of light cruisers was a pair of ships built in Germany just before the start of World War I. The class consisted of SMS Pillau and Elbing. The ships were initially ordered for the Imperial Russian Navy in 1912, and were built by the Schichau-Werke shipyard in Danzig. After the outbreak of World War I, however, the German Kaiserliche Marine confiscated the ships before they were completed. The ships were similar in design to other German light cruisers, although they lacked an armored belt. They were the first German light cruisers to be equipped with 15 cm SK L/45 guns, of which they carried eight. The two ships had a top speed of 27.5 knots.
The D-class cruisers were a pair of German heavy cruisers, classified as panzerschiffe by the Reichsmarine. The ships were improved versions of the preceding Deutschland-class cruisers, authorized by Adolf Hitler in 1933. They were intended to counter a new French naval construction program. Displacement increased to 20,000 long tons (20,000 t), but Hitler allowed only increases to armor, prohibiting additions to the ships' main battery armament. Only one of the two ships was laid down, but work was canceled less than five months after the keel was laid. It was determined that the designs should be enlarged to counter the new French Dunkerque-class battleship. The construction contracts for both ships were superseded by the Scharnhorst-class battleships.
The Gazelle class was a group of ten light cruisers built for the Imperial German Navy at the turn of the 20th century. They were the first modern light cruiser design of the Imperial Navy, and set the basic pattern for all future light cruisers in Imperial service. The design of the Gazelle class attempted to merge the fleet scout with the colonial cruiser. They were armed with a main battery of ten 10.5 cm (4.1 in) guns and a pair of torpedo tubes, and were capable of a speed of 21.5 knots.
The Kolberg class was a group of four light cruisers built for the German Imperial Navy and used during the First World War. The class comprised four vessels: SMS Kolberg, the lead ship, Mainz, Cöln, and Augsburg. The ships were built between 1908 and 1910, and two, Kolberg and Augsburg, were modernized in 1916–1917. The ships were armed with a main battery of twelve 10.5 cm SK L/45 guns and had a design speed of 25.5 knots. The first three ships were assigned to the reconnaissance forces of the High Seas Fleet; Augsburg was instead used as a torpedo and gunnery training ship.
The H class was a series of battleship designs for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, which were intended to fulfill the requirements of Plan Z in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The first variation, "H-39," called for six ships to be built, essentially as enlarged Bismarck-class battleships with 40.6 cm (16 in) guns and diesel propulsion. The "H-41" design improved the "H-39" ship with still larger main guns, eight 42 cm (16.5 in) weapons, and reinforced deck armor. The Construction Office of the Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) concluded their work with the "H-41" design, and were not involved in subsequent plans. Two of them, "H-42" and "H-43", increased the main battery yet again, with 48 cm (18.9 in) pieces, and the enormous "H-44" design ultimately resulted with 50.8 cm (20 in) guns. The ships ranged in size from the "H-39", which was 277.8 m long on a displacement of 56,444 t, to the "H-44", at 345 m on a displacement of 131,000 t. Most of the designs had a proposed top speed in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h).
The Irene class was a class of protected cruisers built by the Imperial German Navy in the late 1880s. The class comprised two ships, Irene and Prinzess Wilhelm; they were the first protected cruisers built by the German Navy. As built, the ships were armed with a main battery of fourteen 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots. They were modernized in 1899–1905, and their armament was upgraded with new, quick-firing guns.
The Bussard class of unprotected cruisers were built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The class comprised six ships: Bussard, the lead ship, Falke, Seeadler, Cormoran, Condor, and Geier. Designed for service in Germany's colonial empire, the class emphasized a long-range cruising radius and relatively heavy armament; they were also the last cruisers in the Kaiserliche Marine to be equipped with an auxiliary sailing rig. The ships were equipped with eight 10.5-centimeter (4.1 in) guns.
The Zenta class was a group of three protected cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the 1890s.
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