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SMS Ostfriesland

Bundesarchiv DVM 10 Bild-23-61-25, Linienschiff "SMS Ostfriesland".jpg
SMS Ostfriesland
History
German Empire
Name: Ostfriesland
Namesake: East Frisia
Builder: Kaiserliche Werft, Wilhelmshaven
Laid down: 19 October 1908
Launched: 30 September 1909
Commissioned: 1 August 1911
In service: 22 September 1911
Out of service: 5 November 1919
Fate: Sunk as a target by aircraft, 21 July 1921
General characteristics
Class and type: Helgoland-class battleship
Displacement:
  • 22,808 metric tons (22,448 long tons) (designed)
  • 24,700 t (24,300 long tons) (full load)
Length: 167.20 m (548 ft 7 in)
Beam: 28.50 m (93 ft 6 in)
Draft: 8.94 m (29 ft 4 in)
Installed power: 28,000 PS (27,620 ihp; 20,590 kW)
Propulsion:
  • 3 shaft
  • 4-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engines
  • 15 boilers
Speed: 21.2 knots (39.3 km/h; 24.4 mph)
Range: 5,500 nautical miles (10,190 km; 6,330 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:
  • 42 officers
  • 1027 enlisted
Armament:
  • 12 × 30.5 cm (12 in) guns
  • 14 × 15 cm (5.9 in) guns
  • 14 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns
  • 6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes
Armor:
  • Belt: 300 mm (11.8 in) KCA
  • Turrets: 300 mm KCA
  • Barbettes: 300 mm KCA
  • Deck: 63.5 mm (2.50 in) KCA

SMS Ostfriesland was the second vessel of the Helgoland class of battleships of the Imperial German Navy. Named for the region of East Frisia, Ostfriesland's keel was laid in October 1908 at the Kaiserliche Werft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven. She was launched on 30 September 1909 and was commissioned into the fleet on 1 August 1911. The ship was equipped with twelve 30.5-centimeter (12.0 in) guns in six twin turrets, and had a top speed of 21.2 knots (39.3 km/h; 24.4 mph). Ostfriesland was assigned to the I Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet for the majority of her career, including World War I.

Along with her three sister ships, Helgoland, Thüringen, and Oldenburg, Ostfriesland participated in all of the major fleet operations of World War I in the North Sea against the British Grand Fleet. This included the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916, the largest naval battle of the war. The ship also saw action in the Baltic Sea against the Russian Navy. She was present during the unsuccessful first incursion into the Gulf of Riga in August 1915.

After the German collapse in November 1918, most of the High Seas Fleet was interned in Scapa Flow during the peace negotiations. The four Helgoland-class ships were allowed to remain in Germany, however, and were therefore spared the destruction of the fleet in Scapa Flow. Ostfriesland and her sisters were eventually ceded to the victorious Allied powers as war reparations; Ostfriesland was transferred to the United States Navy. She was sunk during air power trials off the Virginia Capes in July 1921.


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