Preussen class ironclad
SMS Grosser Kurfürst under sail before her loss
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| Class overview | |
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| Builders: | AG Vulcan, Kaiserliche Werft Kiel, and Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven |
| Operators: |
 Kaiserliche Marine
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| Preceded by: | SMS König Wilhelm |
| Succeeded by: | Kaiser class |
| Built: | 1868–1878 |
| In commission: | 1876–1920 |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Lost: | 1 |
| Retired: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 96.59 m (316 ft 11 in) |
| Beam: | 16.30 m (53 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power: | 4,998 ihp (3,727 kW) |
| Propulsion: | 1 single expansion steam engine |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Speed: | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Range: | 1,690 nmi (3,130 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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| Armor: |
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The Preussen class of armored frigates was a class of three ships built for the German Imperial Navy in the early 1870s. The lead ship, Preussen, was laid down in 1871 and launched in 1873. Friedrich der Grosse also was laid down in 1871 and launched in 1874. Grosser Kurfürst, although the first to be laid down, in 1869, was the last to be completed, launched in 1875. The ships served in the fleet starting in 1876, when Preussen was commissioned.
Grosser Kurfürst was lost in 1878 during maneuvers shortly after her commissioning, when a pair of small sailing boats crossed the bows of Grosser Kurfürst and König Wilhelm, which caused both ships to undertake emergency maneuvers. In the confusion, König Wilhelm collided with Grosser Kurfürst, causing the latter to sink. Both Preussen and Friedrich der Grosse served in the fleet until the 1890s, when they were relegated to secondary duties, including serving as harbor ships, and later as coal hulks. The ships were eventually scrapped following the end of World War I, in 1919 and 1920, respectively.
The ships of the Preussen class were 94.50 m (310 ft 0 in) long at the waterline and 96.59 meters (316 ft 11 in) long overall. They had a beam of 16.30 m (53 ft 6 in) and a draft of 7.12 m (23 ft 4 in) forward and 7.18 m (23 ft 7 in) aft. At the designed displacement, the vessels displaced 6,821 metric tons (6,713 long tons). When the vessels were fully loaded, they displaced 7,718 t (7,596 long tons). Their hulls were built with transverse and longitudinal iron frames; iron plating covered teak backing. The ships had twelve watertight compartments and a double bottom that ran for 60 percent of the length of the hull.
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Wikipedia