×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

SMS Konigsberg (1907)


Light Cruiser Warship


Imperial Germany | 1907



"Commissioned in 1907, SMS Konigsberg had a short combat record in World War 1, damaged by British ships to the point of being scuttled on July 11th, 1915."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for SMS Konigsberg (1907).
11 x Water-tube boilers feeding 2 x 3-cylinder Triple Expansion Engines developing 13,200 horsepower to 2 x Shafts.
Propulsion
24.0 kts
27.6 mph
Surface Speed
5,753 nm
6,620 miles | 10,654 km
Range
Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of SMS Konigsberg (1907).
322
Personnel
Complement
378.0 ft
115.21 meters
O/A Length
43.0 ft
13.11 meters
Beam
17.3 ft
5.27 meters
Draught
3,600
tons
Displacement
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of SMS Konigsberg (1907).
10 x 10.5cm / 105mm (4.1") primary guns.
10 x 5.2cm (52mm) SK L/55 secondary guns.
2 x 45cm (450mm) (18") torpedo tubes.
Ships-in-Class (4)
Notable series variants as part of the SMS Konigsberg (1907) family line as relating to the Konigsberg-class group.
SMS Konigsberg; SMS Nurnberg; SMS Stuttgart; SMS Stettin
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/31/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

At the turn of the last century, German Empire authorities committed to a new class of light cruiser warship - the Konigsberg-class. This group was to number four in all and consist of SMS Konigsberg (named after the East Prussian capital), SMS Nurnberg, SMS Stuttgart and SMS Stettin. The class succeeded the Bremen-class warships which were also light cruiser-type vessels though these numbered seven. Compared to the Bremen-class, the Konigsberg-class warships were dimensionally larger and held better straight-line speed while being similarly armed.

SMS Konigsberg was laid down on January 12th, 1905 and launched on December 12th of that year. She was formally commissioned into service on April 6th, 1907.

Under full load the warship displaced 3,815 tons and held an overall length of 378.2 feet, a beam of 43.3 feet and a draught of 17.3 feet. Power began with 11 x water-tube boilers feeding triple expansion steam-based engines allowing the vessel to reach speeds of 24 knots out o a range of 6,620 miles. Aboard were 322 personnel including 14 officers. Armament was 10 x 10.5cm (105mm) main guns with 10 x 5.2cm (52mm) SK L/55 secondary guns. 2 x 45cm (450mm) torpedo tubes were also carried. Armor included 3" of protection at the deck and up to 3.9" at the conning tower.

The warship's profile involved a tapered bow and stern section. Two masts were situated about the primary deck, one fore and one aft. The bright superstructure was set well-ahead of midships with three smoke funnels laid in line just aft of this. The four of the main gun emplacements were positioned forward and aft along elevated sections of superstructure while the remaining units were installed in limited-arc positions along the sides of the hull.

SMS Konigsberg's original posting was with the German High Seas Fleet and acted as escort to the Kaiser's personal yacht when traveling aboard. In April of 1914, the warship was ordered to German East Africa. In July of 1914, Europe went to war so Konigsberg was recalled during August. After relocating closer to home waters, the warship was charged with targeting British and French shipping but managed little save for a single merchant. On September 20th, 1914 during the Battle of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, she claimed HMS Pegasus, a British cruiser (the Battle of Rufiji Delta). Konigsberg had been taking on coal at the delta of Rufiji and seized the opportunity of the passing HMS Pegasus.

Needing repair for her engines, Konigsberg went up the Rufiji River but was hunted down by the British monitors Mersey and Severn. She then suffered enough damage in the fighting of July 11th, 1915 that the crew scuttled the warship but not before removing her primary guns. This brought an end to her fighting days in the Great War. Her still-exposed hulk was stripped throughout the 1930s and 1940 and into the 1950s and 1960s. In 1966 all this ended when the ship completed went under.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global operator(s) of the SMS Konigsberg (1907). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.
National flag of the German Empire

[ German Empire ]
1 / 1
Image of the SMS Konigsberg (1907)
Image from the Federal German Archives.

Going Further...
SMS Konigsberg (1907) Light Cruiser Warship appears in the following collections:
HOME
NAVAL WARFARE INDEX
WARSHIPS BY COUNTRY
SHIPBUILDERS
COMPARE WARSHIPS
SHIPS BY CONFLICT
SHIPS BY TYPE
SHIPS BY DECADE
WWI NAVAL WARFARE
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)