In November of 1916, SMS
Roon was disarmed and used as a training and barracks ship. By 1918, the need for mobile aircraft support had become apparent. The conversion of the light cruiser SMS
Stuttgart had been the first step, but the smaller ship's capacities for aircraft were limited. Plans were made to convert SMS
Roon in a similar fashion, but due to the ship's size, she would be able to carry four seaplanes.
The aft superstructure and hull would be cut down and replaced with a hangar. All the casemattes and torpedo tubes were closed up and the 150mm side turrets and 88mm guns removed. Instead, 150mm half-open mounts and 88mm single Flaks would take their place. The main 210mm front artillery would be replaced with two side-by-side mounted 150mm guns as well, for a total of 6 x 150mm and 6 x 88mm. A new type of tower was included as well, in a similar style to
Stuttgart.
The plans for conversion never came to fruition. The Navy instead decided to rely on Zeppelins and focus on the conversion of the steamer
Ausonia and later, U-boats. Roon was finally decomissioned in 1920 and scrapped in 1921.
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