German Cruiser 1931

HEAVY CRUISER 1931

Leader of famous class DEUTSCHLAND of three 'armoured ships
(Panzerschiffe) laid down for the German Navy in the early 1930s, before Adolf Hitler came to power.

THE DEUTSCHLANDILUTZOW CLASS
Plans for a new class of ship - in fact, a new type of ship - were drawn up in Germany from 1926. Though nominally cruisers, they were actually capital ships in miniature, and became known as pocket battleships. Deutschland was the first. Constructed at Deutsche Werke, Kiel, as the Ersatz Preussen, she was laid down on 5 February 1929, launched on 19 May 1931 and completed on 1 April 1933. She underwent numerous refits, including extensive modification to her bow in 1941. After the ignominious loss of her sister-ship the Admiral Graf Spee in 1939 she was re-named Lulzow. She had a mediocre career, and was eventually scuttled at Swindemunde after being struck by three "Grand Slam" five-ton bombs dropped by aircraft of the RAF.

ADVANCED DESIGN FOR A NEW ROLE
Two technological advances made the Deutschlands viable - high-power diesel engines and electro-welding. Together, they allowed German designers to combine high speed and acceptable range in a total standard displacement of 12,000 tons, including six 28cm (11 in) guns in two triple turrets. As a result, the ships could out-run anything they couldn't out-gun (with the exception of three British battlecruisers), and were very formidable indeed in the commerce raider role allotted to them. Admiral Scheer, the most successful of them, sank a total of 137,000 tons.

TECHNICAL DATA
Type: "Armoured ship" (heavy cruiser)
Machinery: 2-shaft, 8 MAN supercharged 2-stroke double-acting 9 cylinder diesels delivering a total of 54,0006hp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 1 86m (61 0.251t); beam, 21.65m (71 ft) Displacement: 12,340t standard; 16,000t deep load
Draught: 7.35m (24ft) full load
Complement: 1070
Speed: 28 knots (52km/h)
Range at 20 knots 16,600km