Continues the story of the world's oil-producing battleships Germany.
This article goes the story of the third series of the German battleship and the first armed with cannons of 280 mm.
This armadillos type "Wittelsbach". Were built from 1900 to 1904 a series of five ships, "Wittelsbach» (Wittelsbach), «Wettin» (Wenin), «Zähringen» (Zahringen), «Schwaben» (Schwaben) and "Mecklenburg» (Mecklenburg).
As the ships of the previous series, these armadillos are 6 main caliber guns in three turrets and powerful medium caliber.
Wittelsbach, Germani Enter ship type laid down 1900 (Engine 1901)
Displacement:
15 089 t light; 16 393 t standard; 17 372 t normal; 18 155 t full load
Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(449,48 ft / 449,48 ft) x 75,46 ft x (26,25 / 27,27 ft)
(137,00 m / 137,00 m) x 23,00 m x (8,00 / 8,31 m)
Armament:
6 - 11,02" / 280 mm 40,0 cal guns - 641,94lbs / 291,18kg shells, 150 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1900 Model
4 x Single mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
18 - 5,91" / 150 mm 40,0 cal guns - 98,69lbs / 44,77kg shells, 250 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mount, 1900 Model
1 x Single mount on sides, evenly spread
10 - 3,46" / 88,0 mm 30,0 cal guns - 19,17lbs / 8,70kg shells, 400 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mount, 1900 Model
1 x Single mount on sides, evenly spread
12 - 1,46" / 37,0 mm 45,0 cal guns - 1,56lbs / 0,71kg shells, 1 500 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mount, 1900 Model
1 x Single mount on sides, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 5 838 lbs / 2 648 kg
6 - 17,7" / 450 mm, 1 673,23 ft / 510,00 m torpedoes - 55,067 t each, 330,400 t total
In 1 sets of deck mounted carriage/fixed tubes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 11,8" / 300 mm 295,28 ft / 90,00 m 26,25 ft / 8,00 m
Ends: 5,91" / 150 mm 154,20 ft / 47,00 m 26,25 ft / 8,00 m
Upper: 2,56" / 65 mm 295,28 ft / 90,00 m 9,84 ft / 3,00 m
Main Belt covers 101% of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 11,8" / 300 mm 3,94" / 100 mm 7,87" / 200 mm
2nd: 5,91" / 150 mm - -
3rd: 0,98" / 25 mm - -
4th: 0,98" / 25 mm - -
- Armoured deck - multiple decks: 2,56" / 65 mm For and Aft decks
Forecastle: 2,56" / 65 mm Quarter deck: 2,56" / 65 mm
- Conning towers: Forward 9,84" / 250 mm, Aft 0,00" / 0 mm
Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 3 shafts, 15 739 ihp / 11 742 Kw = 18,10 kts
Range 5 000nm at 10,00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1 762 tons (100% coal)
Complement:
756 - 983
Cost:
£1,157 million / $4,627 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1 006 tons, 5,8%
- Guns: 676 tons, 3,9%
- Torpedoes: 330 tons, 1,9%
Armour: 6 982 tons, 40,2%
- Belts: 5 288 tons, 30,4%
- Armament: 275 tons, 1,6%
- Armour Deck: 1 278 tons, 7,4%
- Conning Tower: 142 tons, 0,8%
Machinery: 2 761 tons, 15,9%
Hull, fittings & equipment: 4 339 tons, 25,0%
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2 283 tons, 13,1%
Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0,0%
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
32 931 lbs / 14 937 Kg = 49,2 x 11,0 " / 280 mm shells or 3,1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,43
Metacentric height 6,1 ft / 1,9 m
Roll period: 12,8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,46
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2,00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck ,
a normal bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0,683 / 0,687
Length to Beam Ratio: 5,96 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21,20 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 46 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0,00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 20,00%, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m
- Forward deck: 30,00%, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m
- Aft deck: 35,00%, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m, 26,25 ft / 8,00 m
- Quarter deck: 15,00%, 13,12 ft / 4,00 m, 13,12 ft / 4,00 m
- Average freeboard: 24,28 ft / 7,40 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 68,0%
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 79,0%
Waterplane Area: 26 774 Square feet or 2 487 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 117%
Structure weight / hull surface area: 115 lbs/sq ft or 563 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0,93
- Longitudinal: 2,54
- Overall: 1,03
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather