1888, the coronation of Wilhelm II, last Emperor of Germany, claim to very much, which has plunged his country into the bloodiest in the entire history of the Earth, war ended in disaster for his country and for himself. The new Emperor considered himself a great connoisseur of the fleet and even the compiled projects of warships (even if only conceptual). It is not surprising that already in the first years of the reign he completely rebuilt the organization of the naval forces, unchallenged which lasted 20 years under the auspices of the land of the generals.
To guide Wilhelm used the old as the world, the formula: “divide and conquer”. Instead of a single Navy Department there are three powerful bodies: the Supreme command of the Navy, Navy Department and Maritime personal Cabinet of the Kaiser. The heads of all three agencies received the right of direct report to the Emperor. It’s easy to imagine what this has created opportunities for intrigue and hostility of admirals and bureaucrats.
In order to enable the system to not only engage in intrigues, but also to function effectively, it required an outstanding personality. This place in history belongs to the German Navy Admiral von Tirpitz, understands the aspirations of its ruler and was able to suggest means for their implementation. However, until 1897, when Tirpitz was established at the head of the Naval Ministry, it has been almost 10 years. The future Creator of the high seas Fleet called it the decade of “lost”. Indeed, the German shipbuilding in those years has not yet gained the monstrous speed, which, eventually, led to confrontation with Britain. However, to call these lost years would be not quite correct. Warships, including cruisers, continued to build, although practically in the absence of a clearly formulated concept of their use.
Directly before the coming of the Tirpitz, the Naval Ministry after a six year break to “give birth” series cruisers “Victoria Louise”. And not just a series, and the largest until then among all ships of this type in Germany — five units.
Neither the Kaiser nor his naval Minister disliked and strongly criticized these ships, partly for ideological reasons, but, perhaps, more jealous of previous Navy rulers.
In these strange ships was all. First, the speed. It did not exceed 18.5 knot — three knots less than the lonely predecessor, “Kaiserin Augusta”. It is logical to assume that a fairly large (about 6.5 million t) and, moreover, low-speed vehicle must be highly protected. However, the defense left much to be desired. It consisted only of armor deck with bevels, which had an impressive thickness (100 mm) only in the area of mechanical installation. A little scoring on the arms: first the Germans imposed on their cruisers 210-mm caliber, powerful enough to break the protection of the increasingly distributed cruisers, though still quite rapid-fire. (The Germans used the V-paddles even on large caliber guns.) In General, it’s a kind of German version of the English “Edgar”, but less speed and worse armor. But at the same time and late for six years.
The failures were not limited to “technical” characteristics. Although new cruisers and was intended for service in colonies, which means that in a hot climate, living conditions on them, to put it mildly, left much to be desired. Even in European climate in the cabins and battle stations people have suffered from too high temperature. The reason was in the wrong location of the steam lines. To eliminate overheating failed even with the help of powerful fans. For long voyages didn’t have enough coal reserves: even at full load it would fill up too often. Finally, even superficially “Louise” with their tall body and broad add-ins looked massive and slow. Of course, the feeling is neither here nor there, but the large area targets is unlikely to have improved combat skills, increasing vulnerability. In General, the Germans got pretty big, but retarded armored cruisers, to find application which was not easy.
For the raiders — too slow and short range. Use them together with the battle fleet did not even make much sense, since they had almost no reserve of speed even compared to contemporary battleships.
Nevertheless, it is possible that under other conditions (for example, in a small or even a major war with almost any enemy, except maybe England) of five cruisers “Victoria Louise”, at least for a few years could become the basis of the cruising forces of the German Navy, and probably the Germans would not have to be ashamed of.
Similar military units in other countries lived a long life, and many of them took an active part even in the First world war. The share of “Louise” had quite a different fate. Who headed the Ministry of Maritime Tirpitz around the preferred order, and “useless” ships caused him acute attacks dislikes. Losers constantly transferred from overseas possessions home and back, and in less than ten years after the entry into operation they were “sentenced” to extensive refurbishments.
The work has transformed even the appearance of ships: thick “combat” front mast gave way to modern thin, add-ins and bridges have been redone. The replacement boiler the number of tubes was reduced from three to two. For unknown reasons at the same time withdrew a pair of 150-mm guns, replacing them with the same 88-millimetrovogo that in the battle to reduce the role of cruisers. At the same time increased the supply of coal. But the most curious thing: as soon as the upgrade was completed, the long-suffering cruiser immediately demoted to the rank of training ships for naval cadets and ship’s boys. In fact, their career is almost over. Even in 1914, at the outbreak of the world war and Germany began to experience an acute shortage of ships of all classes, “Louise” only temporarily attracted to coastal defense. And at the end of the same year came the order for removal of four of them. By 1916, the losers were gradually disarmed and in the disabled state, they lasted until the defeat of the Empire, after which the cruiser quietly dismantled for scrap. The longest lasted the lead ship of the series.
In 1920 he held the restructuring of the “Victoria Louise” commercial steamer “flora Sommerfeld”. On the boat leaving only one of the three cars, pairs which produced the four cylindrical boiler, taken from an old battleship; 2000 HP had to develop a 12-node move. In General, the conversion can be considered a modicum of success, if not to take into account the fact that the cargo capacity of 6.5-tasaciones cruiser was only 3700 gross tonnes. It is not surprising that the trading career of “Louise” was even shorter than combat.
A clear failure with armored “large cruisers” have led to a dramatic change of policy development in this class of ships. The process reminded of a running hare, confusing own tracks. Affected by the lack of a clear understanding of why did Germany need the most “Grosse Kreuzer”.
The next ship “fürst Bismarck” was the first representative of the German armored cruisers, one of the largest and pretentious. “Fürst Bismarck” had almost twice the displacement compared to the “luisoni”, on the thick (albeit narrow) armor belt above which was situated the top, a thin (100mm); main battery consisted of pairs of two-gun towers, also well protected. In General, the “Bismarck” was very reminiscent of Russian polylaser-Peloponnese the type of “Victory”, only less powerful and somewhat less protected. And that really bad, with far shorter range. However, if the value of such ships for Russia was still the subject of debate, the role of the “Bismarck” in the Navy of Germany, except that causes confusion. Indeed, to create a “fast wing” of the fleet of a single ship (besides the host) is more than ridiculous. Use it as a single powerful raider? — Slightly better: it is solitary and not sufficiently Autonomous. In General, although in pure combat against the second experience was much more acceptable, the use of rather large and expensive units remained unclear.
Of course, a lifesaver was the overseas territories. “Bismarck” traditionally sheathed with wood and Muntz metal, and the first ten years he spent in long voyages. Then came a long period of repairs and upgrades, protracted for nearly six years, after which, on a bad tradition, just “brought to life” the ship immediately disarmed and turned into a training ship for the training of stokers. So it is a decent, but completely unclaimed in peacetime “Bismarck” was not useful to their country and during the First world war.
97. Armored cruiser “Scharnhorst” (Germany, 1907)
It was built by the firm “Blom und Voss”. Displacement 12 780т, the maximum length of 144.6 m, width of 21.6 m, draft of 8.38 m. Capacity three-shaft steam engine triple expansion installation 30 000 HP, speed of 23.5 KTS. Reservations: belt 150mm, deck 35 — 60 mm (on the bevels 40 — 55 mm) 210 mm turret — 170 mm 150 mm installation — 100 mm, cutting 200 mm Armament: eight 210-mm, six 150-mm and eighteen 88 mm rapid-fire guns, four machine guns, four 450 mm torpedo tubes. Only in 1907 — 1908 built 2 units: the “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau”. Both sunk in the battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914.
98. Armored cruiser “Roon” (Germany, 1906)
Built at the shipyard of the Navy in Kiel. Displacement 10 100 t, maximum length of 127.8 m, beam 20,21 m, draft of 7.77 m. Capacity three-shaft machinery installation steam triple expansion 20 000 HP, speed 21 KTS. Reservations: belt 100mm, deck 40 -60 mm (bevel 40 — 50 mm), 210 mm turret — 100 mm 150 mm installation — 100 mm, cutting 150 mm. Armament: four 210-mm, ten 150-mm and fourteen of the 88-mm rapid-fire guns, four machine guns, four 450 mm torpedo tubes. Only in 1905 — 1906 built 2 units: “Roon” and “York”. He died on a mine in 1914, “Roon” was disarmed in 1916 and scrapped in 1921
99. Armored cruiser “Prince Adalbert” (Germany, 1904)
Built at the shipyard of the Navy in Kiel. The displacement of 9720 tons, the maximum length of 126.5 m, beam 19.6 m, draught of 7.78 m. the thickness of a three-shaft steam engine triple expansion installation 18 500 HP, a speed of 20.5 KTS. Reservations: belt 100 mm, deck 51 mm (bevel 70 — 100 mm), 240 mm turret — 200 mm, 150-mm launchers— 100 mm, cutting 150 mm. Armament: four 210-mm, ten 150-mm and twelve 88 mm rapid-fire guns, four machine guns, four 450 mm torpedo tubes. Only in 1903 — 1904 built 2 units: “Friedrich Carl” and “Prince Adalbert”. Both died in the Baltic sea: “Friedrich Karl” — a Russian mine in 1914, “Adalbert” torpedoed by British submarine E-8.
A similar fate befell the following experiment. Took seriously the creation of a large linear fleet, Tirpitz logically concluded that the continued build “biserkov” there is nothing like a waste of money, and required the development of cheaper and high-speed armored cruiser “Prince Henry”. However, the designers not pleased. Subtract a displacement of 1,700 tonnes, they reproduced the “half-Bismarck” by replacing the two-gun 240-mm tower odnorodnymi. Halved and the thickness of the belt, although the area covered by armor, increased significantly, which, in General, was in line with the global shipbuilding ideas in connection with the widespread development of quick-firing artillery. A curious decision was made to own skorostrel. All ten six-inch pulled in the center of the case in two-level casemates, however, unlike the British “dvuhetazhki” guns were located in a staggered manner in a single armored box, over which was placed more and 88 of graph paper. This arrangement became a tradition for subsequent German armored cruisers. It had its advantages, as been able to protect not only the instruments themselves, but rather the vast space in the middle of the hull up to the upper deck. Was a clear disadvantage: heavy shell hit on the high-rise “coop” could smash it completely. And the Germans had to experience this theoretical position in practice in Falkland battle, when the “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau” from the first hit began to leave the middle of the gun.
Outwardly, the “Prince Henry”, like its predecessor, “fürst Bismarck”, was very reminiscent to their unsuccessful sisters — predecessors “Louise”. All the same high forecastle and is characterized by highly curved prow of prey… once again, the rookie out of business. This time, almost formally: “Henry” was originally intended for service in colonies. However, by chance, at the beginning of the war he was in the domestic water, which determined him, in General, sad fate. According to the same scheme instead of the combat activities of the ship “in his Prime” (he was by that time only 12 years old) were sent on upgrading with subsequent transfer to the category of auxiliary.
It is difficult to understand such extravagance. In principle, both the first German armored cruiser could be useful in distant oceans. You can imagine that it would be at that time in the Pacific, if instead of one squadron of two units of von Spee in those waters turned out to be two pairs of strong armored ships. The British (and their allies the Japanese,) and so had to work hard to repel the threat, sent to hunt several powerful squadrons of warships. But even if it happened, how it really is, and the cruiser remained in Germany, and the “Bismarck” and “Henry” with their 240-mm guns could be useful in the Baltic sea against the Russian armored cruisers armed with 203 high-millimetrovie (except the new “Rurik”). But the command of the high seas Fleet did not dare to apply them in practice, perhaps considering the fate of their younger brothers.
Meanwhile, through trial and error terezinske the Ministry finally, as it seemed to have found the necessary type of armored cruiser. Therefore, in the next four years, from 1900 to 1903, were annually laid by one ship, two very close performance on all types. A pair of “Prince Adalbert” — “Friedrich Carl” and “Roon” — “new York” is, in essence, was the same “Henry”, which has a single 240-mm two-gun installation replaced the 210-mm. the result is a fairly balanced vehicle, “average” in all respects. In artillery power and the protection he conceded armstrongism “Azzam”, but looked good in comparison with armed only medium – (152 — 164-mm) guns of the British “County” or the French “Dupli”. The rate of “British” was much higher than that of the “Germans”. (A timid attempt to increase the stroke of the second pair has resulted in quite a miserable increment of a half-node price of about 400 tons displacement.) Russian “Bayan” had a more powerful book, but less powerful weapons. And so on.
In General, the German armored cruisers really hard to call definitely failed, or something particularly advanced. The quality of their construction (usually high) no claims noted. The real problem was in their use. And here the Germans were unable to find a reasonable solution. With the beginning of world war II “Adalbert” and “Carl” settled in the Baltic, where the German Navy is quantitatively much inferior to the Russian, being one of the strongest in Europe. But as it turned out, briefly. Despite the fact that every occurrence in the Eastern part of the Baltic sea even a single German armored cruisers forced the Russian command put to sea as much of the brigade of cruisers, the enemy command did not want to combine at least four (or five, if we consider the “Prince Henry”) are virtually the same units and try to use them in open skirmishes. The Germans continued to fear the new dreadnoughts of the “Gangut”, which, in principle, could catch up and severely crack down on “troublemakers”. But Russian dreadnoughts never went on a combat operation. Meanwhile, the number of German “brontos-nicks” quickly decreased. With a gap of two weeks in November 1914 at the mine killed two in the Baltic — “Friedrich Carl” and the North sea, literally in their own “hole” on the river of Poison, in addition to its boom — “York”. The remaining pair went to sea not too often, but “Adalbert”, also failed to escape the fate. Almost a year after the loss of the “brothers” of his torpedoed by the British submarine E-8, specially made his way to the Baltic to assist allies. Left alone “Roon” suffered the fate of older relatives, the “Bismarck” and “Henry”. In 1916, the not-old (who was in the service less than ten years) the ship was dismissed, angazhirovana the role of the floating barracks. However, my original plan was to rebuild it into a seaplane depot ship from the aft hangar and armament of six 150-mm and the same number of guns (a kind of forerunner of the cruiser USS “Gotland”!), however, the plans could not be implemented.
Really famous he became only the next (and last) pair of “traditional” German cruisers. It is widely believed that the “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau” were much more powerful fighting units than their predecessors, and significantly different from their design and vitality. In fact, in these very recent bookmarks ships the Germans only tried to “plug” the design of the “hole”, which obviously was apparent in predecessors. Fully retaining the General layout and the technical solutions, the designers have replaced four 150-mm guns in the upper casemates in the middle of the body 210 of graph paper, bringing the total number to six. One and a half times increased the thickness of the armor belt, which is approximately consistent with the protection of foreign contemporaries. Finally, the rate increased to 23.5 perfectly acceptable host. The good practice from previous projects the price for all this was small — only about 2000 tons of additional displacement. Not to say that the developers managed it all. Still the artillery consisted of three calibers, including the exorbitant number of very little use in combat, cruising the 88-millimetrovogo.
In fact, the fame of these cruisers brought their dignity, and chance, on which they with the beginning of the First world war was the main force of the Pacific squadron of Vice-Admiral von Spee. English and Japanese teams, quite a strong team, had unsuccessfully caught the enemy fleet. Finally it “caught” rear Admiral Cradock, but… with a fatal outcome for themselves. Well-trained gunners of the “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau” (they regularly won prizes for the school shooting) sank a pair of British cruisers, one of which, “good hope”, was also more than their opponents. Resistant the British had to send in the remote waters of the Atlantic just three precious battlecruisers, to achieve a “final solution”. In the battle of the Falklands, the German ships went to the bottom after a desperate battle with the “Invincible” and “Inflexible”, getting 30-40 hits a 12-inch shells (even better quality).
The Saga of the squadron, Spee shows how much noise could make, and the rest of the German cruiser in a better disposition (or a more daring application). Of course, they also would have been on the ocean ways suicide because the allies were always able to field more ships, but you can imagine what stress it could cost the allies. After all, even “standard” armored Germans were superior in combat power cruising British overseas forces — “hunters” of the type “County”. Germany had its own “ocean” chance, but to use it and could not.
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