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| K-class | Kriegsmarine ensign |
|---|---|
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 6650 tons full load |
| Length: | 174 m |
| Beam: | 15.3 m |
| Draught: | 6.28 m |
| Propulsion: | 2 steam turbines, 6 boilers, + 2 MAN diesel, 2 shafts, 69 800 shp |
| Speed: | 32 knots |
| Range: | 7300 nm at 17 knots |
| Complement: | 610 |
| Armament: | 9 x 150 mm (5.9 inch) 6 x 88 mm 8 x 37 mm 8 x 20 mm 12 x 533mm torpedo tubes 120 mines |
| Aircraft: | 2 Arado 196 floatplanes |
The K class was a class of light cruisers of the German Kriegsmarine, consisting of three ships named after German cities starting with the letter K: Königsberg, Karlsruhe, Köln. It's also referred to as Königsberg class according to the convention of naming classes after the first completed vessel.
The class was designed in the 1920s according to the 6000ts-limit for cruisers imposed to Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. To stay within this limit 85% of the ships junctions were welded instead of bolted. This caused problems, as the welding did not withstand the stress of long-term journeys as well as had been hoped.
The main-battery was grouped in three triple-turrets, one forward and two aft. This unconventional placement was the result of weight-economy. To reduce the disadvantage of only one third of the firepower able to fire directly ahead, the aft turrets were not placed on the centerline of the ship. The aftermost turret was positioned on the starboard side, the middle turret was positioned on the port side of the ship. This allowed the aft turrets to fire past the ships superstructure on targets directly ahead at high elevations.
Königsberg and Karlsruhe were lost during Operation Weserübung in World War II. Köln was used as a training ship for most of the war, before sinking in shallow water in harbor of Wilhelmshaven.
| German naval ship classes of World War II | |
|---|---|
| Aircraft carriers | |
| Capital ships | |
| Pre-dreadnought battleships | |
| Heavy cruisers | |
| Light cruisers | |
| Destroyers | |
| Torpedo boats | |
| U-boats (submarines) | |
| Other | |
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