german cruiser light cruiser member class operated march including service world war operated german navies kriegsmarine sister ships built shipyard kiel laid august launched commissioned january armed main battery guns triple turrets speed knots mph like sister ships served training ship naval cadets 1930s joined non intervention patrols spanish civil war decade outbreak world war september conducted operations north_sea encounter british warships participated attack bergen april member class survive operation modified carry helicopter later returned norway significant action remained early returned germany march sunk american bombers wilhelmshaven remained keel gun turrets water allowed provide gunfire support defenders city end war characteristics meters long overall beam maximum draft displaced long tons combat load propulsion system consisted steam turbines pair cylinder stroke diesel engines steam turbines provided marine type double ended oil fired boilers ship propulsion system provided speed knots mph range approximately nautical miles knots mph crew officers enlisted men ship armed guns mounted triple gun turrets located forward placed superfiring pair aft rear gun turrets offset increase arc fire supplied rounds ammunition shells gun ship equipped anti aircraft guns single mounts rounds ammunition carried triple torpedo tube mounts located amidships supplied torpedoes capable carrying naval mines ship protected armored deck thick amidships armored belt thick conning tower thick sides service history ordered cruiser contract replacement old cruiser keel laid august shipyard wilhelmshaven launched commissioned january member class completed spent year conducting sea trials training baltic_sea modified dual anti aircraft guns replace original single mounts rear superstructure enlarged fire control system installed aft departed cruise atlantic early extensive sea trials returning germany took crew naval cadets world cruise departing germany late tour lasted year stopped ports globe including atlantic pacific indian oceans mediterranean_sea ship aircraft catapult installed cranes handle float planes pole mast installed rear aft funnel continued serve training ship early transferred fishery protection duty later year joined non intervention patrols spain spanish civil war german heavy cruiser attacked republican bombers called incident transported wounded crew members germany conducted patrols spain returning fishery protection north_sea late year went drydock refit kiel world war march participated annexation germany demanded lithuania later year joined battleship heavy cruisers admiral admiral major series maneuvers atlantic final days august stationed western baltic prevent polish vessels fleeing german invasion poland september unsuccessful task joined sister ships laying series defensive minefields joined destroyers sortie north_sea october goal draw units royal_navy boat line range luftwaffe failed counts british launched air attack consisting wellington bombers failed hit german warships november cruiser leipzig escorted battleships leg sortie north_atlantic 22nd leipzig detached join unsuccessful patrol allied merchant ships torpedo boats patrol lasted november failed locate allied december leipzig covered return destroyers laid offensive minefield newcastle took operation invasion norway april assigned group tasked assault bergen sister reached harbor unscathed lucky badly damaged norwegian coastal guns supported german infantry ashore main guns port secured returned germany pair destroyers late went drydock modifications installed helicopter landing platform turret served helicopter task performed conducting experiments september provided gunfire support ground troops attacking soviet positions bombarded soviet positions joined battleship admiral destroyers torpedo boats formed intended block soviet warships fleeing eastern baltic soviet vessels attempted july soviet submarine tried attack cruiser escorts forced soviet submarine break attack end transferred north_sea went drydock major modification consisted installation radar set forward command center roof july departed germany join growing naval presence norway saw major action september heavy cruisers admiral admiral hipper destroyers attempted attack convoy route flotilla attacked british submarine torpedoes passed german ships convoy instead attacked boats long range bombers sank thirteen returned germany january decommissioned kiel february sent drydock early overhaul prepare return combat duty completed july cruiser served briefly training ship escorting german merchant vessels norway route july ship laid defensive minefield destroyers laid minefield july steaming trondheim night december attacked british bombers near misses caused damage propulsion system required repair germany departed norway january company admiral hipper destroyer arrived kiel february proceeded wilhelmshaven attacked allied bombers repeatedly march attacked harbor hit sank keel guns remained water ship artillery battery defend city advancing allied forces served capacity end war partially dismantled end war finally raised scrapping
German cruiser Köln