SMS Konigsberg (1907)

History

At the turn of the century, the German imperial authorities were working on a new type of light cruiser battleship - the Konigsberg class. The group ranks fourth overall and consists of SMS Konigsberg (named after the capital of East Prussia), SMS Nurnberg, SMS Stuttgart and SMS Stettin.

This class succeeded the Bremen class of battleships, which were also light cruisers, although there were seven in total. Compared to the Bremen class, the Konigsberg class ships were larger in size and had better straight-line speed with similar armament.

SMS Konigsberg was laid on 12 January 1905 and launched on 12 December 1905. On April 6, 1907, she officially entered service.

When fully loaded, the ship displaces 3,815 tons, has an overall length of 378.2 feet, a beam of 43.3 feet, and a draft of 17.3 feet. Performance begins with 11 water tube boilers powering triple expansion steam engines that allow the vessel to reach a speed of 24 knots over a range of 6,620 miles.

There were 322 people on board, including 14 officers. Armament consists of 10 x 10.5 cm (105 mm) main guns and 10 x 5.2 cm (52 ??mm) SK L/55 secondary guns. Also carried 2 x 45 cm (450 mm) torpedo tubes.

Armor includes 3 inches of deck protection and up to 3.9 inches of conning tower protection.

The shape of the warship consists of tapered bow and stern sections. Surrounding the main deck are two masts, one forward and one aft. The light superstructure is located forward amidships, and three funnels line the stern.

The four main gun emplacements were arranged fore and aft along the bulge of the superstructure, while the remaining units were mounted in limited arcuate positions along the sides of the hull.

SMS Konigsberg was originally stationed in the German High Seas Fleet and escorted Kaiser's private yacht while boarding. In April 1914, the warship was ordered to go to German East Africa. Europe went to war in July 1914, so Konigsberg was recalled in August. After approaching its own waters, the warship was tasked with attacking British and French shipping, but only one merchant succeeded. On September 20, 1914, during the Battle of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, she claimed possession of the British cruiser HMS Pegasus (Battle of the Rufiji Delta).

Konigsberg picked up coal in the Rufiji delta and took the opportunity of a passing HMS Pegasus.

With engines in need of repair, Konigsberg sailed up the Rufiji River, but was pursued by British observers Mersey and Severn. She then suffered so much damage in the battle on July 11, 1915 that the crew sank the warship, but not until her main guns were dismantled. This ended their days of fighting in the Great War.

Her hull, still exposed, was stripped in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in the 1950s and 1960s. It all ended in 1966 when the entire ship sank.

Specification

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Performance

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