NAVYPEDIA

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Nymphe 1919

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Gazelle		76	Germaniawerft, Kiel	1897	31.3.1898	6.10.1900	hulk 1.1916
Niobe		120	Weser, Bremen	30.8.1898	18.7.1899	25.6.1900	accommodation ship 1917-1922, to Yugoslavia 6.1925 (Dalmacija), captured by Italy (Cattaro) 11.9.1943, to Croatia 9.1943-12/1943 (Zniam), sunk 22.12.1943
Nymphe		83	Germaniawerft, Kiel	1898	21.11.1899	20.9.1900	stricken 3.1931
Thetis			Danzig KW	1899	3.7.1900	14.9.1901	stricken 9.1929
Ariadne		127	Weser, Bremen	1899	10.8.1900	18.5.1901	sunk 28.8.1914
Amazone		87	Germaniawerft, Kiel	1899	6.10.1900	15.11.1901	stricken 3.1931
Medusa		128	Weser, Bremen	1900	5.12.1900	26.7.1901	miscellaneous auxiliary 1917-1920, accommodation ship 3.1929, floating AA battery 7.1940, scuttled 3.5.1945
Frauenlob		132	Weser, Bremen	1901	22.3.1902	17.2.1903	sunk 31.5.1916
Arcona		133	Weser, Bremen	1901	22.10.1902	12.5.1903	depot ship 1919-1920, accommodation ship 1.1930, floating AA battery 5.1940, scuttled 3.5.1945
Undine		390	Howaldtswerke, Kiel	1901	11.12.1902	5.1.1904	sunk 7.11.1915

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	Gazelle, Niobe: 2643 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 2659 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 2706
Displacement full, t	Gazelle, Niobe: 2963 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 2972 - 3082 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 3112 - 3180
Length, m	Gazelle, Niobe, Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 104.4 wl 105.0 oa Nymphe, Thetis, Amazone, Medusa: 104.1 wl 105.1 oa
Breadth, m	12.2 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 12.4
Draught, m	Gazelle, Niobe: 5.53 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 5.40 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 5.52
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Gazelle: 2 VTE, 8 Niclausse boilers Niobe: 2 VTE, 8 Thornycroft boilers Nymphe: 2 VTE, 10 Marine boilers Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa, Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 2 VTE, 9 Marine boilers
Power, h. p.	Gazelle: 6000 Niobe: 8110 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 7970 - 9020 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 8580
Max speed, kts	Gazelle: 20 Niobe: 22.1 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 20.9 - 21.8 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 21.5
Fuel, t	Gazelle, Niobe: coal 500 Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: coal 560 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: coal 700
Endurance, nm(kts)	Gazelle, Niobe: 3570(10) Nymphe, Thetis, Ariadne, Amazone, Medusa: 3560(12) Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 4400(12)
Armour, mm	steel / Krupp steel - deck: 25 - 20, slopes: 50, CT: 80, shields: 50
Armament	Gazelle: 10 x 1 - 105/37 SK L/40 C/97, 3 - 450 TT(8, 1 bow, 2 beam) others: 10 x 1 - 105/37 SK L/40 C/97, 2 - 450 TT (5, beam)
Complement	249 Frauenlob, Arcona, Undine: 259

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The Gazelle class were the first modern light cruisers. They were well armed with the 105mm guns the German Navy believed best for dealing with destroyers and TBs (this preference for the lighter gun with the greater rate of fire as compared to the heavier 6in remained a constant feature of German light cruisers up to 1914). They inherited the pronounced ram of the Hela, though only the Gaselle had a bow TT. Another difference from her sisters was that the two broadside TTs of the lead ship of the class were above water, whilst in all the other ships they were submerged. Gazelle also differed in having her charthouse placed between her two funnels, whilst all the others had it in the normal position in front of the forefunnel.

Arcona and Medusa in 1923-1924 were stricken from fleet list and converted to hulks, machines and boilers were thus removed. In 1940 they were converted to floating AA batteries. Superstructures practically were completely demounted, new armament and fire control equipment were fitted, subsequently they received Würzburg radar. Arcona returned to active service 27.5.1940, and Medusa in July, 1940.

Ship protection

25mm protective deck with 50mm slopes protected machinery, outside machine spaces 20mm deck had turtleback form. Engines had 80mm glacises. CT had 80mm sides and 20mm roof, guns had 50mm shields.

Modernizations

1912, Arcona: - 2 x 1 - 105/40, 2 - 450 TT; + 2 x 1 - 500 TT, 200 mines

1914, Arcona: + 2 x 1 - 105/37 SK L/40 C/97

1916, Medusa: - 4 x 1 - 105/40

1917, Thetis: - 10 x 1 - 105/40; + 9 x 1 - 105/42 SK L/45 C/06

1920, Medusa: - 2 - 450 TT; + 4 x 1 - 105/37 SK L/40 C/97, 2 x 1 - 500 TT, 200 mines

1923, Nymphe; 1924, Amazone: stems were reconstructed, length oa was 108.7m

1922, Niobe; 1923, Amazone; 1924, Nymphe: - 10 x 1 - 105/40, 2 - 450 TT; + 10 x 1 - 105/42 SK C/06, 2 x 1 - 500 TT

1922, Thetis: - 2 - 450 TT; + 1 x 1 - 105/42 SK C/06

3/1929, Medusa; 1.1930, Arcona: were disarmed

5/1940, Arcona, 7.1940, Medusa: had following data: full displacement: 3100t, machinery was removed; armament consisted of 5 x 1 - 105/60 SK C/33, 1 x 2 - 37/80 SK C/30, 4 x 1 - 20/65 C/38

9/1943, Niobe: had following data: 2360 / 2953t, 104.4x12.2x5.20m, 16kts, armament consisted of 6 x 1 - 84/55 Škoda M.27, 6 x 1 - 20/65 C/38

1944 - 1945, Arcona, Medusa: - 1 x 2 - 37/80, 2 x 1 - 20/65; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 FlaK 28, 1 x 4 - 20/65 C/38, FuMO 212 or FuMO 213 radar

Naval service

 To the beginning of WWI these cruisers were considered become outdated. Arcona was converted to minelayer. Undine, Amazone, Thetis and Nymphe were used as training cruisers. Remaining served in coast defence, basically on Baltic. Ariadne was sunk by gunfire of British battlecruisers off Helgoland 28.8.1914. Undine was sunk 7.11.1915 at Helgoland by British submarine E19. Frauenlob was destroyed by torpedoes of British cruiser Southampton in the North Sea 31.5.1916.

Niobe 24.6.1925 was sold to Yugoslavia as Dalmacia. In 1925-1926 she was rebuilt by Deutsche Werke in Kiel, in 1926-1927 re-armed by Škoda artillery. In 1941 Dalmacia was captured by German troops and transferred to Italy, she entered Italian service as coast defence ship Cattaro. 11.9.1943 she was again captured by German troops in Pola. It was originally supposed to transfer ship to Croatia under name Zenta or Znjam, but 6.12.1943 she was renamed Niobe and entered German naval service, fleets though has partially been staffed by Croatian crew. 19.12.1943 she ran aground at Sylba and 22.12.1943 was destroyed by torpedoes of British MTB98 and MTB76. Arcona and Medusa were scuttled in Wilhelmshaven in May, 1945; in 1948-1949 they were salvaged and handed over on demolition.