NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf 1890

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf			Marinearsenal Pola	25.1.1884	6.7.1887	9/1889	local defence ship 1906, to Yugoslavia 11.1918 (Комбор [Kombor])

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	6829
Displacement full, t
Length, m	97.6 oa 90.3 pp
Breadth, m	19.3
Draught, m	7.39
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 4-cyl VC, 10 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	6000
Max speed, kts	15.5
Fuel, t	coal 580
Endurance, nm(kts)	2600(10)
Armour, mm	Harvey; belt: 305, turrets: 250, deck: 70, CT: 75
Armament	3 x 1 - 305/32 G. L/35 C.80, 6 x 1 - 120/31 G. L/35 C.87, 2 x 1 - 66/16 G. L/18, 5 x 1 - 47/40 SFK L/44 H, 2 x 1 - 47/30 SFK L/33 H, 2 x 1 - 37/20 SFK L/23, 4- 400 TT (1 bow, 1 beam, 1 stern)
Complement	447

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These barbette ships (Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stefanie and Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf) were designed by the new Austrian Director of Naval Construction, Josef Kuchinka. The hull was constructed from transverse and longitudinal frames, and was highly subdivided, although the armour enclosed only the vital parts of the ship. Externally, the ships were characterized by main battery guns mounted side by side facing forward (plus one firing stern on Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf). The origin of this arrangement seems to have, been the French custom of placing guns in open barbettes, so that their arc of fire was greater - as in the old citadel arrangements. However, open barbettes were no longer effective after 1890, due to the introduction of rapid loading heavy guns so that these ships quickly became obsolete. The remarkable number of 37 additional auxiliary steam engines were installed.

Ship protection

The 305mm belt (on 254mm teak) protected the hull between fwd edge of fwd barbettes and centre of aft barbette (50% of ship length) extending from 1.5m under wl to 2.7m above and was closed by 279mm bulkheads. Steel 25mm flat main deck was connected with lower edge of the belt by curved 50mm slopes. Barbettes over the belt had 254mm protection. CT had 305mm sides.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf was ceded to Yugoslavia in November 1918 and renamed Kumbor. She was sold for scrap in 1922.