SMS Von der Tann

History
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Laid down	March 25, 1908
Launched	March 20, 1909
Commissioned	February 20, 1911
Fate	Scuttled at Scapa Flow June 21, 1919
General characteristics
Displacement	19,370 tonnes planned 21,300 tonnes full load
Length	171.7 m
Beam	26.6 m
Draught	8.91 m
Propulsion	4 screws, Parsons steam turbines, 43,600 shp (39 MW)
Speed	24.8 knots
Range	4,400 nm at 14 knots
Complement	1174
Armament	8 × 11.2 in (284 mm) / 50 calibre guns (4 × 2) 10 × 5.9 in (150 mm) guns 16 × 3.45 in (88 mm) guns
Armour	10 inch belt, 9 inch turrets

SMS Von der Tann was the first battlecruiser built for the German Kaiserliche Marine, as well as Germany's first major turbine powered warship. Built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Von der Tann was to be the workhorse of the Scouting Squadron.

Development

Design of the Von der Tann began in August 1906, under the name "Cruiser F". Several design proposals were submitted, all calling for heavy main guns, between 30.5cm and 34.3cm calibres. Financial limitations dictated that smaller, less expensive weaponry would be used instead. The same 28cm double turret used by the Nassau class battleships would be employed on Cruiser F.

There were also disagreements over the intended role of the new ship. Admiral Tirpitz advocated a ship similar to the new British battlecruisers; heavier guns, lighter armor, and higher speed, with no intention of using the ship in the main battle line. The Kaiser, along with most of the Reichs Marine Amt (Navy Office) was in favor of incorporating the ship into the battle line after initial contact was made, thus necessitating much heavier armour.

On 22 June 1907, Kaiser Wilhelm II authorized construction of Cruiser F, to be named Von der Tann, named after Ludwig Freiherr von und zu der Tann-Rathsamhausen, a Bavarian general who fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.

Design

Armament

Von der Tann carried eight 28cm guns in four twin turrets, one fore, one aft, and two staggered wing turrets. A total of 660 28cm projectiles were stored in four shell rooms, each containing 165 shells.

Unlike her British contemporaries, Von der Tann carried ten 15cm cannon in pivot mounts, each with 150 HE and AP. She was also armed with sixteen 8.8cm cannon, to defend against torpedo boats and destroyers. These were also emplaced in pivot mounts, with a total of 3,200 shells for these guns.

As was customary of capital ships of the time, Von der Tann was equipped with four torpedo tubes, with a total of 11 torpedoes. One was located in the bow, one in the stern, and two on the broadside.

Armour

Because the Von der Tann was designed to fight in the battle line, her armour was much higher than that of the British battlecruisers. Von der Tann used 10% more of her weight for armour than the Indefatigable class, her eventual opponent at the Battle of Jutland.

Von der Tann's armor consisted of Krupp cemented and nickel steel. The main belt armour was 80-120mm thick forward, 250mm thick over the ship's citadel, and was 100mm thick aft. The forward conning tower was protected by 250mm, while the aft conning tower was protected by 200mm. The four turrets had 230mm faces, 180mm sides, and 90mm on the roofs. The horizontal armour measured 25mm thick, and the sloping deck armour was 50mm thick. Like the armoured cruiser Blücher before her, she was protected by a torpedo bulkhead, 25mm thick. It was set back a distance of four meters from the outer hull skin, with the space in between being used to store coal.

Other characteristics

Like all the German Battlecruisers that would follow her she was considerably faster than her design speed of 24 knots, in one instance averaging 27 knots during one cruise from Tenerife to Germany, and having a maximum speed of 28 knots. In fact, at the time of her launch she was the fastest Dreadnought afloat.

Service record

Pre-war

The Von der Tann made several long distance voyages after completion. She visited Rio de Janeiro, Puerto Militar, and Bahia Blanco in early 1911, returning to Kiel, Germany on 6 May 1911.

On 8 May 1911, Von der Tann joined the Unit of Reconnaissance Ships. In June 1911 Von der Tann attended the review at Spithead, for the coronation of King George V.

World War I

At the outbreak of World War I, Von der Tann was serving as the flagship of the 3rd Admiral of Reconnaissance Forces, Konteradmiral Tapken. She took part in the unsuccessful search for British battlecruisers after the Battle of Helgoland Bight in 1914. Later that year she was present at the bombardment of Yarmouth, on 2-3 November, and Scarborough, on 15-16 December.

In 1915 the ship took part in operations in the North and Baltic Seas. On 10 August 1915, Von der Tann shelled the island fortress at Uto, in the eastern Baltic. She also engaged the armoured cruiser Bayan and five Russian destroyers. Early in 1916 she took part in the bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

At the Battle of Jutland, Von der Tann scored five hits on HMS Indefatigable, one of which caused Indefatigable to explode and sink. Von der Tann received four heavy hits, one 15" shell from HMS Barham, two 13.4" shells from HMS Tiger, and one 15" shell from HMS Revenge. During the course of the battle, all four of her main turrets either suffered mechanical failures or were knocked out by British gunfire, although two turrets were restored to working order before the end of the battle. Her own casualties amounted to 11 dead and 35 wounded.

After Jutland she underwent repairs and took part in several unsuccessful raids into the North Sea. The vessel was surrendered with the rest of the High Seas Fleet on 24 November 1918 and interned at Scapa Flow. Scuttled there by her own crew on 21 June 1919, she was raised in 1930 with some difficulty and scrapped at Rosyth.

References

• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921

External links

• [1] Specifications, Pictures, and line Drawings
• [2] Info, History, Operations, and Specs.
• Maritimequest SMS Von der Tann Photo Gallery