Nassau Class Dreadnought Battleship

Nassau Class.  The hexagonal layout of the main turrets mainly necessitated by the machinery layout.  This was not seen completely a waste as the offside turrets were considered a reserve in battle that could be used by turning the ship around if the nearside turrets were knocked out.   The class is also unusual in having the distinctive "goose necked" crane abreast the aft funnel.

SMS Nassau
Built Wilhelmshaven Navy Yard, laid down July 1907, completed May 1910, cost 37,399,000 Marks

SMS Posen
Built Germaniawerft, Kiel, laid down June 1907, completed September 1910, cost 36,920,000 Marks

SMS Rheinland
Built Vulcan, Stettin, laid down June 1907, completed September 1910, cost 36,916,000 Marks

SMS Westfalen
Built Weser, Bremen, laid down August 1907 , completed May 1910, cost 37,615,000 Marks

Size:
Length 479 feet 4 inches overall, 88 feet 5 inches beam, draught 29 feet 3 inches deep load, displacement 18,570 tons normal 21,000 tons deep load.

Propulsion:
3 shaft Vertical Triple Expansion, 22,000 ihp, 19knots.

Trials:
Nassau 26,244 ihp = 20.0 knots
Posen 28,117 ihp = 20.0 knots
Rheinland 27,498 ihp = 20.0 knots.
Westfalen 26,792 ihp = 20.2 knots

Armour:
12-3in belts, 11-2in barbettes, 11in turret, 2.5in decks.

Armament:
12 x 11in SKL/45 (6 x 2), 12 x 5.9in (12 x 1), 16 x 3.45in (16 x 1), 6 x 17.7in TT.

Comments:
The first German Dreadnoughts.  The main armament layout was dictated mainly by the retention of triple expansion machinery rather than using less bulky turbines.  Unlike the early British Dreadnoughts they retained a heavy anti-torpedo boat armament.  The ships were not good sea-boats and bilge keels were fitted which improved the problem.  For the wing turrets the magazines were above the shell rooms.  Crew of 40 officers and and 968 men.

World War 1 Service:
Nassau
I Battle Squadron.
1916 Battle of Jutland. Fired 106 11 inch shells. Hit twice by 4 inch shells and collided with HMS Spitfire. 11 killed 16 injured.
July 1916 repairs.
Post war taken over by Japan and scrapped in 1920.

Posen
Part of the I Battle Squadron.
Present at the Battle of Jutland 1916.  Fired 106 11 inch shells.  Received no damage.
Post war taken over by Britain and scrapped in 1922

Rheinland
Part of the I Battle Squadron.
Present at the Battle of Jutland 1916. Fired 35 11 inch rounds.  Hit by 2 6 inch shells with 10 killed and 20 injured.
February 1918 assisting Finish independence.
11 April 1918 ran aground in the Aaland Sea.
8 July 1918  ship is re-floated after 6,400 tons of equipment is removed.  Ship not considered worth repairing and was used as a barrack ship in Kiel.
1920 Sold for scrap.

Westfalen
Part of the I Battle Squadron.
At the Battle of Jutland 1916. Led the German van during the night sinking four destroyers.  Fired 51 11 inch rounds.  Hit by 2 4 inch shells with 2 killed and 8 injured.
July 1916 repairs.
19 August.1916 torpedoed by British submarine E23 .
October 1916 returned from repairs.
February 1918 onwards operations assisting Finish independence.
September 1918 became gunnery training ship.
Post war taken over by Britain and scrapped in 1924.

SMS Rheinland which ran aground in 1918 and although recovered never returned to active service.  A floating crane had to used and as well as removing most of the ships ammunition and coal armour had to be removed from the bow and sides as did some of the guns.