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  Kaiser 1880  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Kaiser			Samuda Bros, London, UK	1871	19.3.1874	13.2.1875	large cruiser 1.1897, harbour ship 5.1904
Deutschland			Samuda Bros, London, UK	1872	12.9.1874	20.7.1875	large cruiser 1.1897, harbour ship 5.1904

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	8799
Displacement full, t	8940
Length, m	88.5 wl 89.3 oa
Breadth, m	19.1
Draught, m	7.93
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 HSE, 8 rectangular boilers
Power, h. p.	5700
Max speed, kts	14.5
Fuel, t	coal 684
Endurance, nm(kts)	2470(10)
Armour, mm	Kaiser: steel; belt: 254 - 127, casemate: 203 - 178, deck: 51, CT: 50 Deutschland: steel; belt: 254 - 127, casemate: 203 - 178, deck: 51, CT: 100
Armament	8 x 1 - 263/20 RKL/18 C/74, 1 x 1 - 209/20 RKL/22.5 C/68
Complement	656

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The Kaiser class were Germany's last foreign-built capital ships. They were built on the Thames to an 1869 design by Sir Edward Reed, and their engines were built by Penn. These two central battery ships were classed as armoured frigates. All the side armour was mounted on a teak backing.

Ship protection, Kaiser

Main steel belt had 254mm thickness amidships tapered to 127mm at ship ends. It laid on 226-90mm wood backing. Casemate had 203mm sides on 264-192mm wood backing and was closed by 178mm transverse bulkheads. Steering gear compartment had 216mm vertical and 126mm horizontal protection backed by 384mm wood. Armoured deck was 51-38mm thick. CT had 50mm sides and 30mm roof.

Ship protection, Deutschland

Main steel belt had 254mm thickness amidships tapered to 127mm at ship ends. It laid on 226-90mm wood backing. Casemate had 203mm sides on 264-192mm wood backing and was closed by 178mm transverse bulkheads. Steering gear compartment had 216mm vertical and 126mm horizontal protection backed by 384mm wood. Armoured deck was 51-38mm thick. CT had 100mm sides and 30mm roof.

Modernizations

1882, both: - 1 x 1 - 209/20; + 7 x 1 - 149/20 RKL/22 C/72, 4 x 1 - 79/25 RKL/27 C/73, 6 x 5 - 37/27 RV L/30

1897, Kaiser: was armed with 1 x 1 - 149/28 RKL/30 C/88, 6 x 1 - 105/32 SKL/35 C/91, 9 x 1 - 88/27 SKL/30 C/89, 4 x 1 - 37/37 SK L/40 C/91, 5 - 350 TT (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern)

1898, Deutschland: was armed with 8 x 1 - 149/32 SKL/35 C/92, 8 x 1 - 88/27 SKL/30 C/89, 4 x 1 - 37/37 SK L/45 C/91, 5 - 350 TT (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern)

Naval service

Both ships were rebuilt and reclassified as large cruisers 25.1.1897, served as harbour ships since May, 1904. Kaiser was renamed Uranus  in October, 1905, stricken and converted to barrack ship in May, 1906. Deutschland was renamed Jupiter in November, 1904, sold in May, 1906 and converted to target vessel.