sms sms ocean going battleships imperial_german_navy pre dreadnought class sister ships laid vulcan dockyard stettin launched completed class battleships unique era carried large caliber guns twin turrets opposed guns turrets standard navies british_royal_navy referred ships saw limited active duty service career german fleet sisters saw major overseas deployment china boxer rebellion ship underwent major modernization sold ottoman_empire renamed famous 16th century turkish admiral ship saw heavy service balkan wars primarily providing artillery support ottoman ground forces taking naval engagements greek navy december january largely inactive world war slow speed school ship eventually scrapped mid-1950s design long overall beam increased addition torpedo nets draft forward aft ship displaced long tons designed weight long tons combat load equipped sets cylinder triple expansion steam engines provided metric horsepower ihp speed knots mph steam provided coal fired transverse cylindrical water tube boilers cruising range nautical miles knots mph crew numbered officers enlisted men ship unusual time possessed broadside heavy guns twin gun turrets guns typical contemporary battleships forward turrets carried inch guns amidships turret mounted pair inch shorter barrels secondary armament consisted quick firing guns mounted casemates quick firing guns mounted armament system rounded torpedo tubes water swivel mounts main battery heavier capital ships period secondary armament considered weak comparison battleships protected steel krupp armor new type stronger steel main belt armor millimeters thick central section protected ammunition magazines machinery spaces deck thick main battery barbettes protected thick armor service history ships class ordered battleship laid vulcan shipyard stettin construction number ship class launched june commissioned german fleet april day sister commissioning assigned alongside sisters division accompanied older class armored frigates time returned china replaced new class battleships boxer rebellion major operation took occurred division deployed china assist suppression boxer rebellion expeditionary force consisted cruisers supply ships torpedo boats regiments marines command marshal alfred von admiral opposed plan saw unnecessary costly naval force arrived china siege lifted task force suppressed local uprisings end operation cost german government million marks service ottoman navy following return china entered shipyard wilhelmshaven significant reconstruction emerged refit ship rejoined active fleet sisters rapidly obsolete launch result service careers german navy limited september advanced ships class sold ottoman_empire renamed respectively famous 16th century ottoman year later september italy declared war ottoman_empire obsolete central battery ironclad summer training cruise july prepared conflict despite ships spent war harbor balkan wars declared war ottoman_empire october balkan war ships ottoman fleet state disrepair war conducted gunnery training capital ships ottoman navy escorted troop convoys bombarded coastal installations november supported bombarding attacking bulgarian forces ship aided artillery observers ashore battleship gunnery largely ineffective provided morale boost besieged ottoman army dug bulgarian infantry largely forced starting positions psychological effect battleships bombardment late ottoman fleet attacked greek navy attempt disrupt naval blockade surrounding dardanelles engagements took place naval battle december followed naval battle january action supported ottoman coastal batteries greek ottoman forces suffered minor damage engagement ottomans unable break greek fleet retired dardanelles ottoman fleet included sister flagship fleet outdated ironclad battleships destroyers torpedo boats sortied dardanelles smaller ships remained mouth straits battleships sailed north remaining near coast greek flotilla included armored cruiser class battleships sailing island patrol line outside straits ottomans sighted greeks altered course northeast order block advance opponents ottoman ships opened fire range yards greeks returned fire minutes later time range decreased significantly yards ottoman ships completed point turn reversed course steamed safety straits disorganized withdrawal hour routed ottoman ships withdrawn dardanelles naval battle resulted ottoman plan lure faster away dardanelles protected cruiser evaded greek blockade broke assumption greeks dispatch hunt despite threat greek lines communication posed cruiser greek commander refused position plan worked units ottoman fleet departed dardanelles morning january sailed island appeared approximately miles powerful greek ship spotted ottomans turned retreat superior speed allowed ship close distance fleeing ottoman ships long range artillery duel lasted hours began end engagement closed yards scored hits fleeing ottoman ships ships fired rounds main battery guns success battle barbettes sister disabled gunfire ships caught fire february ottoman navy supported amphibious assault small cruisers provided artillery support right flank invading force went ashore ships positioned kilometer shore second ship line sister bulgarian army resisted fiercely ultimately forced ottoman army retreat withdrawal successful large gunfire support rest fleet battle fired rounds guns shells guns march ship returned black_sea resume support garrison renewed attacks bulgarian army march barrage shells fired assisted advance 2nd brigade bulgarian 1st infantry division march left wing ottoman line turned pursue retreating advance supported field artillery heavy guns warships positioned coast assault gained ottomans meters nightfall response brought 1st brigade beat ottoman advance starting position world war summer world war broke europe ottomans initially remained neutral early november actions german battlecruiser transferred ottoman navy renamed resulted war russia france great_britain guns removed employed coastal guns shore defenses protecting dardanelles january light cruiser transferred ottoman service sailed dardanelles attack british monitors stationed outside ships quickly sank hms turning safety dardanelles route struck mines sank hit mines began list port ship captain gave incorrect order caused ship run aground remained week arrived scene january old battleship took tow managed free afternoon removed active service end world war ship transferred role training ship time retained originally guns converted hulk stationed dardanelles remained afloat finally broken scrap
SMS Weissenburg