SMS Nassau
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} Germany | |
| Name | Nassau |
| Namesake | City of Nassau, Germany |
| Builder | Kaiserliche Werft, Wilhelmshaven |
| Laid down | 22 July 1907 |
| Launched | 7 March 1908 |
| Commissioned | 1 October 1909 |
| Fate | Scrapped 1921 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Nassau class |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 18,570 tonnes (designed) 21,000 tonnes (full load) |
| Length | 146.1 m (479 ft) |
| Beam | 26.9 m (88 ft) |
| Draught | 8.9 m (29 ft) |
| Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) 3 shaft 3 cylinder Vertical Triple expansion engines, 12 boilers 22,000 shp |
| Speed | 19 knots (35 km/h) |
| Range | 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km). at 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,124 |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 12 x 28 cm (11 in) guns 12 x 15 cm (5.9 in) guns 16 x 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns 5 x 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes |
| Armor | list error: <br /> list (help) Belt 300 mm turrets 280 mm battery 160 mm Conning Tower 300 mm |
SMS Nassau was the first dreadnought battleship built for the Imperial German Navy, a response to the launching of the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in 1906. Nassau was laid down on 22 July 1907 at the Kaiserliche Werft in Wilhelmshaven, and launched less than a year later on 7 March 1908, approximately 25 months after Dreadnought was launched. She was the lead ship of her class of four battleships.
Design
Dimensions and machinery
Nassau was 146.1 m (479 ft) long, 26.9 m (88 ft) wide, and had a draught of 8.9 m (29 ft). She displaced 18,570 tons with a standard load, and 21,000 tons fully laden. The ship was powered by a 3 shaft triple expansion engine, which was rated at 22,000 ihp, and delivered a top speed of 19 knots.
As designed, Nassau and her sisterships were not particularly good sea-boats. Bilge keels were later added, which helped to improve the problem.
Armament
Nassau carried twelve 28 cm (11 in) guns in an unusual 'hexagonal' configuration - with one turret fore and aft, and two on each flank of the ship. Seconday armament consisted of twelve 15 cm (5.9 in) guns, along with sixteen 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns for close defence and six 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes.
Armor
Nassau had an armored belt that was 30.48 cm (12.00 in) thick at its strongest, where it protected the ship's vitals, and as thin as 7.62 cm (3.00 in) in less critical areas, such as the bow and stern. The barbettes for the main battery had 28 cm (11 in) of armor protection on the exposed portions, and as little as 5 cm (2.0 in) in less exposed areas. The turrets themselves had armor 28 cm (11 in) thick on their faces. The deck was covered by armor plating 6.35 cm (2.50 in) thick.
Service history
Nassau saw service in the Baltic sea in the beginning of World War I, and in August 1915 participated in the Battle of the Gulf of Riga. Later, Nassau and her sisterships took part in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May–1 June 1916, as part of the I Battle Squadron. Nassau fired 106 main battery shells, and was hit twice by 4 inch shells. During the battle, Nassau collided with HMS Spitfire. Nassau suffered a total of 11 killed and 16 injured during the battle
Following the end of World War I, the ships were surrendered to the victorious powers as war booty. SMS Nassau was surrendered in April 1920 to Japan. With no use for the ship, Japan sold her to a British wrecking firm which then scrapped her in Dordrecht (Netherlands). Posen and Rheinland had the same fate. Westfalen was surrendered in 1920 to the United Kingdom and scrapped in 1924.