Wiesbaden class light cruiser
Encyclopedia
The Wiesbaden class of light cruiser
s was a class of ships in the German Imperial Navy
in the 1910s. Two ships were built to this class.
, and being completed in August 1915. The ships were the first German light cruisers designed to carry the 150 mm (5.9 inch) gun, although the Pillau class
was the first completed class of cruisers with these guns.
The two Wiesbaden-class cruisers were Wiesbaden
and Frankfurt
. Wiesbaden was built in Stettin by the AG Vulcan shipyard and was sunk in the Battle of Jutland
, while Frankfurt was constructed by the Kiel
Navy dockyard and met its demise after the war in a US Army air bombing trial
off the Virginia Capes
.
. The ships were also armed with two 88 mm guns, four 500 mm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes, and 120 naval mine
s.
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s was a class of ships in the German Imperial Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
in the 1910s. Two ships were built to this class.
Details of construction
Two ships were constructed to this class, beginning in early 1913, before the start of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and being completed in August 1915. The ships were the first German light cruisers designed to carry the 150 mm (5.9 inch) gun, although the Pillau class
Pillau class light cruiser
The Pillau class of light cruisers was a pair of ships built in Germany just before the start of World War I. The ships were initially ordered for the Russian Navy, but after the outbreak of war, Germany confiscated the ships before they were transferred to Russia. The ships were similar in design...
was the first completed class of cruisers with these guns.
The two Wiesbaden-class cruisers were Wiesbaden
SMS Wiesbaden
SMS Wiesbaden was the lead ship of the Wiesbaden-class of light cruisers of the German Imperial Navy in World War I, the other being the Frankfurt-Specifications:...
and Frankfurt
SMS Frankfurt
SMS Frankfurt was a Wiesbaden class light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. Construction of the ship started before World War I, but she was not completed until after hostilities began. She was laid down at the Kiel Navy dockyard in January 1913 and launched in 1915.-Dimensions and...
. Wiesbaden was built in Stettin by the AG Vulcan shipyard and was sunk in the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, while Frankfurt was constructed by the Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
Navy dockyard and met its demise after the war in a US Army air bombing trial
United States Army Air Service
The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...
off the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
.
Dimensions and machinery
The Wiesbaden class ships were 141.7 m long at the waterline, and 145.3 m long overall. They had a beam of 13.9 m, a draught of 5.8 m, and they displaced 5,180 tonnes standard, and 6,601t with a full load. The ships were propelled by two-shaft Navy steam turbines, which produced 31,000 shp, and delivered a top speed of 27.5 knots (51 km/h).Armament
The ships of the class were armed with eight 150 mm (5.9 in) guns, singly mounted. Two guns were mounted in a pair forward, one on either side of the forward superstructure, one on either side of the aft superstructure, and two mounted aft, in a superfiring configurationSuperfire
The idea of superfire is to locate two turrets in a row, one behind the other, but with the second turret located above the one in front so that the second turret could fire over the first...
. The ships were also armed with two 88 mm guns, four 500 mm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes, and 120 naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s.