SMS Konigsberg (1907)

Light Cruiser Warship [ 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.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/31/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1907

Origin

Imperial Germany

Status

DECOMMISSIONED
Destroyed, Scrapped.

Complement

322
PERSONNEL

Class

Konigsberg-class

Number-in-Class

4
VESSELS

Ships-in-Class

SMS Konigsberg; SMS Nurnberg; SMS Stuttgart; SMS Stettin

German Empire

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Offshore Bombardment
Offshore bombardment / attack of surface targets / areas primarily through onboard ballistic weaponry.

✓ Land-Attack
Offshore strike of surface targets primarily through onboard missile / rocket weaponry.

✓ Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.

✓ Airspace Denial / Deterrence
Neutralization or deterrence of airborne elements through onboard ballistic of missile weaponry.

✓ Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.

Length

378.0 ft
115.21 m

Beam

43.0 ft
13.11 m

Draught

17.3 ft
5.27 m

Displacement

3,600
tons

Installed Power: 11 x Water-tube boilers feeding 2 x 3-cylinder Triple Expansion Engines developing 13,200 horsepower to 2 x Shafts.

Surface Speed

24.0 kts
(27.6 mph)

Range

5,753 nm
(6,620 mi | 10,654 km)

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.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft aerial torpedo

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

None.

Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period

Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image from the Federal German Archives.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

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; site is 100% curated by humans.

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.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)