SMS Weißenburg

Seiner Majestät Schiff "Weißenburg" was the third of four iron-built ships of the line ("Linienschiffe") of the "Brandenburg" class in the German Imperial Navy. The others were SMS "Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm", SMS "Brandenburg" and SMS "Wörth", all launched between 1891 and 1893. Initially classed as armored ships ("Panzerschiffe"), they were the first large German ocean-going battleships and were reclassified as ships of the line in 1899.

Design

Dimensions and machinery

"Weißenburg" displaced 10,500 tons, was 116 m long and 19.5 m wide, had a draught of 7.9 m and a top speed of convert|16.5|kn|km/h|1. She was powered by 2 shaft triple expansion engines that produced 10,000ihp and a top speed of convert|17|kn|km/h. The crew numbered 568.

Armament

Her armament consisted of six 28 cm (11in) guns, eight 10.5 cm (4.1in) guns and eight 8.8 cm (3.4in) guns, along with three 45 cm (17.7in) torpedo tubes. The main guns were twin-mounted in three center line barbettes. Although smaller than the 30.5 cm guns then being fitted to capital ships in other navies, the larger number of barrels (six vs. the then typical four on other ships) gave this class a heavier total broadside throw-weight than any of their contemporary battleships.

Armor

"Weißenburg" and "Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm" were armored with Krupp nickel steel armor, but due to delivery problems, the "Brandenburg" and "Wörth" were armored with a composite armor. The Krupp armor effectively provided twice the amount of protection afforded by the composite armor.

The ships of the class had an armored belt twelve to sixteen inches (406 mm) thick, at its strongest point. The turrets were protected by convert|9|in|mm of armor plate, and the deck was covered by convert|3|in|mm of armor.

ervice history

"Weißenburg" was launched on 14 December 1891 at Vulcan AG in Stettin and entered service in June 1894. In 1900, she participated in the international campaign to subdue the Boxer Rebellion in China, returning to her homeport of Wilhelmshaven in 1901 where she was extensively refitted before joining the service again in 1904.

In September 1910, by then thoroughly obsolete, SMS "Weißenburg" was sold to the Ottoman Empire, together with her sister "Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm". Renamed "Torgut Reis", after the Ottoman corsair and admiral ("reis") Torgut (or Turgut), she remained in service until 1938 and was subsequently used until the 1950s as a barracks ship.

External links

* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/pre-dreadnought/sms-brandenburg.html World War I Naval Combat]