Design SMS Oldenburg (1884)

1 design

1.1 general characteristics
1.2 machinery
1.3 armament , armor

design

oldenburg intended fifth member of sachsen class of sortie corvettes. design ship radically altered, between 1879 , 1881, variety of reasons. german navy largely dissatisfied sachsen class ships, , number of design faults required correction. budgetary constraints limited design of ship, forcing design staff work within displacement 2,000 t (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons) lower of sachsens.

assessment of design mixed; naval historian erich gröner states oldenburg experimental design, of no real value in combat. conway s world s fighting ships concurs, stating oldenburg considered of little fighting value time completed. 1889 edition of brassey s naval annual reported contradictory opinion, however, stating majority of german naval critics dissatisfied greater or less extent of these vessels, könig wilhelm, kaiser, deutschland, , oldenburg excepted.

general characteristics

line-drawing of oldenburg

oldenburg 78.40 m (257.2 ft) long @ waterline , 79.80 m (261.8 ft) long overall. had beam of 18 m (59 ft) , draft of 6.28 m (20.6 ft) forward , 6.30 m (20.7 ft) aft. @ designed displacement, vessel displaced 5,249 metric tons (5,166 long tons; 5,786 short tons). when ship loaded, displaced 5,743 t (5,652 long tons; 6,331 short tons). hull built transverse , longitudinal steel frames; iron used stem , stern. ship had twelve watertight compartments , double bottom ran 60 percent of length of hull. oldenburg first german capital ship built entirely german-made steel.

the german navy regarded oldenburg adequate sea boat, though suffered significant pitching. result of tendency pitch severely, 60 t (59 long tons; 66 short tons) ballast permanently installed in bow. lost great deal of speed in heavy seas; @ conditions above beaufort sea state 6, 25 percent loss of speed. ship not operate under severe weather conditions. transverse metacentric height .63 m (2 ft 1 in). standard complement consisted of 34 officers , 355 enlisted men, though crew later reorganized 32 officers , 40 enlisted sailors. carried number of smaller boats, including 1 picket boat, 1 launch, 2 pinnaces, 2 cutters, 2 yawls, , 1 dinghy.

machinery

painting of oldenburg in 1902

oldenburg powered 2 horizontal 4-cylinder double expansion steam engines in separate engine roomes; 2 engines each drove three-bladed screw 4.50 m (14.8 ft) in diameter. steam provided engines 8 transverse cylinder boilers, divided 2 boiler rooms. each boiler equipped 3 fireboxes, total of 24, operated @ 5 standard atmospheres (510 kpa) forced. engines designed operate @ 3,900 indicated horsepower (2,900 kw) top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). on speed trials, engines exceeded designed horsepower, @ 3,942 ihp (2,940 kw), though oldenburg made 13.8 knots (25.6 km/h; 15.9 mph).

the ship designed store 348 t (343 long tons; 384 short tons) of coal, though accommodate 450 t (440 long tons; 500 short tons). additional 120 t (120 long tons; 130 short tons) of coal stored on deck. @ cruising speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph), oldenburg steam 1,770 nautical miles (3,280 km; 2,040 mi). increasing speed 1 knot reduced range 1,370 nmi (2,540 km; 1,580 mi), , @ 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), cruise 980 nmi (1,810 km; 1,130 mi). steering controlled single rudder. equipped 3 electrical generators total output of 29 kilowatts @ 65 volts.

armament , armor

oldenburg carried 8 24 cm (9.4 in) l/30 hooped guns in unusual configuration: 6 guns on main deck, 1 on each broadside, 4 in embrasures @ each corner of central battery give measure of end-on fire, , 2 on upper deck firing broadside. these guns supplied 494 rounds of ammunition, , depress −5° , elevate 8°. enabled maximum range of 5,700 8,800 m (6,200 9,600 yd). equipped 4 15 cm (5.9 in) l/22 guns , 2 8.7 cm (3.4 in) l/24 guns. 4 35 cm (14 in) torpedo tubes rounded out armament. 1 mounted in bow, submerged, 2 placed on broadside above water, , fourth located in stern, above water. carried ten torpedoes.

oldenburg s armor consisted of compound steel backed teak; steel fabricated dillinger works. main armored belt composed of 2 strakes; steel upper strake 300 mm (12 in) thick amidships, protected ship s vitals. belt reduced on either end of central portion 200 mm (7.9 in). lower strake 250 mm (9.8 in) thick in central section , 180 mm (7.1 in) on either end. entire belt backed 250 mm of teak amidships , 300 mm of teak on either end. sides of armored casemates main battery 150 mm (5.9 in) thick. ship s deck 30 mm (1.2 in) thick. forward conning tower had 50 mm (2.0 in) thick sides , 25 mm (0.98 in) thick roof. rear conning tower given splinter protection, 15 mm (0.59 in) thick sides , 12 mm (0.47 in) thick roof.