Kaiser Friedrich III Class Battleship

Kaiser Friedrich III Class.   This class saw the introduction of the conventional pre-Dreadnought layout that was retained for by the German Navy until the first Dreadnought class was launched although the forward turret was mounted a deck higher than was normal in most other designs.

SMS Kaiser Friedrich III
Built Wilhelmshaven Navy Dockyard, laid down March 1895, completed October 1898, cost 21,472,000 Marks.

SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II
Built Wilhelmshaven Navy Dockyard, laid down October 1896, completed February 1900, cost 20,387,000 Marks

SMS Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse
Built Germania, Kiel, laid down January 1898, completed May 1901, cost 20,254,000 Marks.

SMS Kaiser Karl Der Grosse
Built Blohm and Voss, Hamburg, laid down September 1898, completed February 1902, cost 20,385,000 Marks

SMS Kaiser Barbarossa
Built Schichau, Danzig, laid down August 1898, completed June 1901, cost 20,301,000 Marks.

Size:
Length 396 feet  9 inches waterline 411 feet overall, beam 67 feet, draught 27 feet, displacement 11,599 tons deep load.

Propulsion:
3 shaft Triple Expansion, 14,000 ihp, 17 knots

Trials:
Kaiser Friedrich III 13,053 ihp = 17.3 knots
Kaiser Wilhelm II 13,922 ihp = 17.6 knots
Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse 13,658 = 17.6 knots
Kaiser Karl Der Grosse 13,874 = 17.8 knots
Kaiser Barbarossa 13,949 ihp = 17.8 knots

Armour:
12-4in belt, 10in turrets, 3in decks

Armament:
4 x 9.4in 40cal (2 x 2), 15 x 5.9in (15 x 1), 12 x 3.4in (12 x 1), 12 x 1pounder (12 x 1), 6 x 17.7in TT

Comments:
The 11 inch guns of the previous  class were replaced by fewer 9.4 inch guns and a much heavier secondary armament.  The reduction in gun calibre was deemed acceptable as the smaller guns had a rate of fire approximately three times higher than the larger weapons. Crew 641.

World War 1 Service:
Kaiser Friedrich III
V Battle Squadron.
1915 prison ship.
1920 scrapped.

Kaiser Wilhelm II
V Battle Squadron.
1915 Headquarter ship.
1922 scrapped.

Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse
V Battle Squadron.
1915 prison ship.
1920 scrapped.

Kaiser Karl Der Grosse
V Battle Squadron.
1915 prison ship.
1920 scrapped.

Kaiser Barbarossa
V Battle Squadron
1915: torpedo training ship.
1920 scrapped.

Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse.  The class underwent modification between 1907-10 with taller funnels, a reduced superstructure, one of the torpedo tubes being removed and repositioning of the 3.4 inch guns.  Even so the class were of little fighting value by World War 1 and were soon used for non combat duties, mainly as prison ships for prisoners of war.