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Braunschweig-class battleship

Bundesarchiv DVM 10 Bild-23-61-31, Linienschiff der Braunschweig-Klasse.jpg
Braunschweig-class battleship
Class overview
Name: Braunschweig class
Builders: Germaniawerft, Schichau, AG Vulcan
Operators:  Kaiserliche Marine
Preceded by: Wittelsbach class
Succeeded by: Deutschland class
Built: 1901–1906
In commission: 1905–1945
Completed: 5
Scrapped: 5
General characteristics
Type: Pre-dreadnought battleship
Displacement: 14,394 t (14,167 long tons)
Length: 127.7 m (419 ft)
Beam: 22.2 m (72 ft 10 in)
Draft: 8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:
  • 3 shafts triple expansion
  • 16,000 PS (16,000 ihp; 12,000 kW)
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range: 5,200 nmi (9,600 km; 6,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:
  • 35 officers
  • 708 enlisted men
Armament:
Armor:
  • Belt: 100 to 225 mm (3.9 to 8.9 in)
  • Turrets: 250 mm (9.8 in)
  • Deck: 40 mm (1.6 in)

The Braunschweig-class battleships were pre-dreadnought battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine (the German Imperial Navy). The class comprised five ships: Braunschweig, Elsass, Hessen, Preussen, and Lothringen. The ships were an improvement over the preceding Wittelsbach class; the ships mounted a more powerful main battery, were two knots faster, and had better armor protection.

The five ships all saw active service during World War I, primarily as coast defense ships in the IV Battle Squadron. Hessen was transferred to the II Battle Squadron in 1916 and took part in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May–1 June 1916. All five ships of the class were retained by the Reichsmarine following Germany's defeat in World War I, and saw further service in a variety of roles. Hessen was eventually rebuilt as a radio-controlled target ship, while Preussen and Lothringen were converted into minesweeper tenders. All of the ships, with the exception of Hessen, were broken up in the 1930s; Hessen survived until the end of World War II, when she was taken over by the Soviet Navy, for continued use as a target ship.

The Braunschweig-class ships were 413 ft 3 in long 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 (8.10 m). The ships had thirteen watertight compartments and a double bottom for 60 percent of the length of the hull. The ships displaced 13,208 tonnes at their designed weight, and 14,394 t at a full load.


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