cruiser class type armored cruiser built imperial_german_navy early 1900s ships class built commissioned december followed january improvement design previous unique armored cruiser armor belts thickness extensive predecessor ships armed main guns twin gun turrets opposed single gun turrets ships saw extensive service german_navy gunnery training ship entirety peacetime career served fleet withdrawn act torpedo training vessel outbreak world war august vessels mobilized assigned cruiser squadron baltic sunk russian naval mines november crew safely evacuated torpedoed twice british submarines operating baltic july caused damage ultimately repaired second october caused catastrophic explosion ship ammunition magazines destroyed ship seventy men killed greatest single loss life german_navy baltic war design second naval law germany passed envisioned force fourteen armored cruisers intended overseas service german colonies german_navy required cruisers operations fleet attempted design ships fulfill roles primarily budget constraints product naval law alteration earlier vessel equipped fewer guns thinner armor trade higher speed lower cost subsequent design class prepared improvement quick firing guns substituted pair slower guns mounted older vessel armor thickness remained similar strength comprehensive general characteristics ships class meters long waterline overall beam ships designed displace metric tons long tons short tons combat load displaced long tons short tons draft forward aft ships hulls constructed transverse longitudinal steel frames steel hull plates vessels contained fourteen watertight compartments double extended percent length hull german navy regarded vessels good sea boats gentle motion ships lower fuel ships responsive commands helm lost percent speed rudder hard suffered minimal speed loss heavy seas ships guns placed low rendered wet slight swell transverse metacentric height ships standard crew officers enlisted men serving squadron flagship augmented officers enlisted men ships equipped boats including pair picket boats launch powered vertical cylinder triple expansion engines center shaft drove bladed screw diameter shafts powered bladed screws diameter engines supplied steam fourteen boilers produced propulsion system rated indicated horsepower ihp speeds knots mph knots mph respectively ships reached higher horsepower figures trials speeds significantly improved ships designed carry long tons short tons coal storage increased long tons short tons enabled maximum range nautical miles cruising speed knots mph electrical power supplied generators total output kilowatts volts armament armed main battery guns twin turrets end main superstructure guns supplied total rounds ammunition shells gun turrets elevate provided maximum range gun fired pound shell muzzle velocity second ships secondary armament consisted guns placed sides hulls guns mounted casemates amidships pair gun turrets guns provided total shells gun guns fired pound muzzle velocity second guns elevate allowing maximum range ships carried guns close defense arranged groups shielded pivot mounts guns mounted forward conning tower rear funnels amidships guns placed rear superstructure guns fired shell muzzle velocity second elevate engage targets vessels armament system rounded submerged torpedo tubes mounted bow stern broadside supplied torpedoes armor steel armor ships produced krupp firm main belt armor consisted layer teak thick covered thick steel plating central section covered ships machinery spaces ammunition magazines belt reduced ends central portion bow stern unprotected armored deck ranged thickness sloped armor ranged thickness connected deck armored belt ships guns placed main belt protected thick armor plating turret guns guns thick sides roofs forward conning tower protected sides thick roof rear conning tower thoroughly protected worth armor protection service history laid kiel construction number ordered contract completed hull launched june fitting work effected ship finally completed january day commissioned german_navy ordered assigned shipyard keel laid launched june exactly year sister ship fitting work completed commissioned navy december month sister ship went service gunnery training vessel fleet commissioning served cruiser division battle fleet joined sister ship training vessel torpedo training ship ships mobilized outbreak world war august ships assigned cruiser squadron baltic_sea serving flagship squadron based ordered undertake actions russian port believed acting staging area british submarines assault port november struck pair russian naval mines ship crew managed cruiser afloat long allow nearby vessels entire crew seven men killed attack operation proceeded planned sunk harbor entrance sinking shifted flag ship conducted operations russian forces including supported german_army attack captured city july ship sortied reinforce german operation come attack russian cruiser flotilla route armored cruiser torpedoed british submarine damage severe cruiser able return kiel repairs repairs finally completed october steaming miles west company pair destroyers october intercepted submarine fired spread torpedoes range approximately detonated ship ammunition magazine massive explosion destroyed ship sank immediately loss crew survivors sinking greatest single loss life german baltic forces duration war
Prinz Adalbert-class cruiser