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Chapter 21: Grosse Kreuzer J - 1910
Dreadnought posted a City Journal entry in IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN
A beautiful painting of SMS Seydlitz lying at anchor in Schillig Roads on a foggy morning early in 1917. Note the new “Carley Floats” mounted on the main battery turrets. As an item of interest, the stern anchor pictured weighs approximately 8 tons. IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN By: Dreadnought & AP Chapter 21: GROSSE KREUZER “J” - 1910 SMS Seydlitz – circa 1913 – lying moored to a buoy in the Kieler Hafen. Seydlitz had supremely graceful lines while presenting a low profile with a squat and powerful appearance. Three months after SMS Moltke’s keel was laid, the preliminary discussions about “Grosse Kreuzer J – 1910” were already beginning. In keeping with their policy of improving each new warship, Korvettenkapitan Vollerthun of the General Navy Department sent a memorandum to State Secretary von Tirpitz on 8 March 1909. The topic was the Grosse Kreuzer’s development in comparison to navies of other nations…… “The development of our grossen kreuzer since 1907 has been inspired by the English Invincible Class, but we have increasingly pursued the qualities of a fast battleship. It has been our intention to make the authorized number of large ships, as far as possible, capable of also fighting in the battle line. This approach has given our grossen Kreuzer a different character than the English, and has brought their displacement to that of the battleships. The English pattern has heavy artillery (12-inch guns) and extreme speed (allegedly 26.5 to 27 knots), but it is bought at the expense of armor (belt only 6 inches) – and, therefore, is of limited suitability for the battle line. Against an enemy with heavy artillery, this type of ship is severely compromised – even at long ranges. In effect, the English ‘Battleship-Cruisers’ stand against our ‘Cruiser-Battleships”. In those very few words, Vollerthun had accurately defined the Anglo-German Arms race and the battlecruisers it produced. He went on to say…… “Future grossen kreuzer should continue to be patterned after contemporary battleship development in regard to combat power. The superiority in speed, necessary to maintain the character of cruisers, has to be bought (compliant with the Naval laws) with a modest sacrifice in combat power – or by an increase in displacement above that of the battleship. Speed must also be maintained with an advantage of 3.5 to 4 knots over the battleship.” Since 1909, contemporary battleships in both Britain and Germany had made a further jump in armament and displacement, and it was recommended the new Grossen Kreuzer do likewise. The five 11-inch gun turrets should be replaced with four 12-inch gun turrets – though Vollerthun hedged the point by saying the 11-inch gun was still sufficient to penetrate the armor of foreign navies. (Personally – I consider it extraordinarily backward not to increase the gun power. The bigger shell would, of course, deliver more destructive force – and not using it – gave the enemy an advantage.) At a 4 April conference, the Naval Budget Office rejected an increased expenditure for the 1910 cruiser, and von Tirpitz discouraged improvements entailing higher costs. The discussions, somewhat understandably, seemed to cease at that point. Cost – more than any other factor – would be the driving element in the design of “Grosse Kreuzer J”. By 1909, Imperial Germany was just beginning to feel the financial strain of supporting a world-class army while creating a first-class navy. Tsarist Russia had the largest army in Europe, while Germany diligently maintained a slight edge in troop strength over the French. But the “Kaiserliche Heer” was, without doubt, the best trained and finest equipped army in all of Europe – and that cost a lot of money. With the emergence of Admiral von Tirpitz, warship construction assumed an importance never before experienced – at an unheard of cost. Around five years later, the “dreadnought” battleship appeared and costs became astronomical. Germany’s last pre-dreadnought battleship (SMS Deutschland) had cost in the neighborhood of 5 million Marks in 1903 (the entire class of five ships cost about 26 million Marks). By 1909, the cost of a single Moltke Class battlecruiser was in excess of 44 million Marks – roughly nine times that of a single pre-dreadnought. And there was also the operating costs to be considered. By 1912, the annual expense of daily operation and maintenance of a dreadnought was roughly 2 million Marks per ship. As discussed in Chapter 1, “national wealth” had its limits – and excessive taxation could cause financial collapse. In August 1909, the Construction Department raised the issue of deadlines that had to be met in preparing documents, and for Krupp to be able to deliver the gun turrets on schedule. Discussions began again, but Chancellor von Bulow had been replaced by an even more frugal von Bethman-Hollweg, so no budget increase would be allowed. By 23 September, several designs had been produced – almost all with a cost increase over the Moltke Class of 750,000 to one million Marks. Consequently talks were started with Blohm & Voss to see if construction discounts could be obtained on the hull and engines. Both Krupp Armaments and Dillingen-Hutte Fabrik were also brought into discussions to possibly obtain discounts. (Krupp provided the naval rifles and face-hardened exterior armor belts, while Dillingen-Hutte produced the hull plates, girders, interior deck plates, and non-face-hardened armored areas.) At this point, the design studies had been whittled down to just two choices – Study IIc, which was an improved version of SMS Goeben – and Study IVe, with five twin turrets on the centreline (two superfiring forward, two superfiring aft, and one amidships). Design IVe was favored both structurally and tactically by several bureau chiefs. On 21 December 1909, Admiral von Tirpitz convened yet another meeting. He opened by reassuring the Budget Office that a one million Mark increase was acceptable to the Reichstag. Whereupon, their representative urged the State Secretary to make a decision quickly so advantage could be taken of favorable negotiations with Blohm & Voss. Early on in the lengthy meeting, any discussion of design IVe was shelved. Von Tirpitz was opposed to the superfiring turrets forward (he had not liked the superfiring stern turrets on Moltke and Goeben, either). He felt superfiring turrets were too close together, and risked having two turrets put out of action by a single shell. (Ironically, this would actually come to pass – see Chapter 13 – Seydlitz -- Dogger Bank.) A further discussion was held about going to a three-shaft propeller arrangement to improve ship-handling at lower speeds. But the rudders would have to be redesigned, the aft torpedo tube moved, and the stern reconfigured. When a long delay was mentioned, von Tirpitz rejected that notion. On 7 January 1910, a final meeting was held and design IIc was altered to include a raised forecastle deck, the forward turret barbette was raised by 1.6 meters, main belt armor increased, turret armor increased, boilers increased, and machinery output boosted to a designed 63,000shp to compensate for weight increases. The budget was estimated at 45.83 million Marks, and the Kaiser approved the design concept on 27 January 1910. Detailed design drawings, mechanical pages, final cost estimates, and the finished blueprints were prepared over eight weeks. On 26 March 1910, Kaiser Wilhelm II signed the builder’s order in the Royal Palace, Berlin. His Majesty could not have known at the time, but he had just ordered the construction of one of the toughest and most battle-worthy ships ever built. The Imperial battlecruisers would become, perhaps, the finest dreadnought warships ever built. But “Grosse Kreuzer J” would be the finest of them all. SEYDLITZ CLASS BATTLECRUISER The final design of “Grosse Kreuzer J” as she would have appeared at her commissioning. There are a few details missing from this “plan profile” – notably no ship’s boats or launches which would have been stowed on deck amidships. But the plan gives you an excellent idea of the deck layout, the placement of the turrets, and the wide range of the firing arcs. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS The contract for “Grosse Kreuzer J” was awarded to Blohm & Voss Dockyards, Hamburg, on 2 April 1910, and her keel was laid on 4 February 1911. She would be launched thirteen months later, on 30 March 1912. Thirteen months on the builder’s slip was very good time – even for Blohm & Voss. The main design features of the new cruiser (an “improved” Moltke) were limited somewhat by budgetary constraints but, significantly, returned to the raised forecastle deck formula – incorporating the forward bridge and funnel elements. This feature was thought necessary to keep the fore-ship as “dry” as possible. At 24,988 tons, her displacement was nearly 2,000 tons heavier than Moltke. The new cruiser’s hull was longer, at 656 feet, with a newly tested hull form having finer lines and a slightly reduced beam. The reduction in beam was unusual for German capital ships, and was made possible by a more refined armor scheme. The new hull design also resulted in a nearly vertical-cut stem and the elimination of the ponderous “ram bow”. The hull was constructed of transverse and longitudinal framing, and plated with Siemens-Martin “mild steel” for flexibility and resilience. There were sixteen watertight compartments (one more than in Moltke) on seven deck levels, with a double bottom running 76% of her length. The double bottom and extensive use of internal compartmentalization between the watertight transverse bulkheads contributed significantly to her underwater protection -- slowing flooding and confining it to a smaller area. Bilge keels – or anti-roll keels -- were included in the original design to improve stability, and anti-torpedo nets were a design feature. SMS Seydlitz (“Grosse Kreuzer J”) laying at anchor off a warehousing area. Alongside you can see a steam tug with two lighters full of fresh vegetables ready to be transferred aboard the battlecruiser. This view clearly shows the arrangement of the three different deck levels – the Forecastle Deck – Battery Deck – and the Fantail Deck. All interior decks were steel plated and covered with linoleum, while exterior (“weather”) decks were steel plated with 2.5 inches of teak planking. The “flush deck” design of Moltke was done away with, and a Forecastle Deck was raised by one level. The Forecastle Deck ran aft from the stem, over the Battery Deck, to include the conning tower, forward bridge, and mainmast, then angled gracefully toward the centreline to wrap around the first funnel housing and boiler room air intakes. This compact arrangement (similar to Von der Tann) was designed to reduce the water taken over the bow in heavy weather. The Battery Deck (just below the Forecastle Deck) ran aft and angled into the barbette of superfiring “Caesar” turret. One deck below that, on the fantail, was turret “David”. So the “weather decks” on the new cruiser were on three different levels. This close-up shows the arrangement of the various superstructure elements – the forecastle with “A” turret, bridge, and first funnel housing -- midships gun turrets – the second funnel housing – the aft control structure – and the two superfiring turrets. This also shows the ship’s small boats stowed on deck amidships. The boat derrick abaft the second funnel is seen hoisting out a steam launch across the top of “B” turret. If you examine the ship and crew carefully, you will see many small details and scenes built into this wonderfully detailed model by @AP. The steam tug "gifted" by “WolfZe” – and the two lighters are also “AP’s” work. The deck layout was very similar to Von der Tann -- and especially Moltke. Behind “A” turret was the forward superstructure housing the Navigation Bridge, the forward armored Conning Tower with rangefinder, a Chart Room, the forward pole mast (steel with wooden yards), and the Flag Bridge. The forward funnel was incorporated into the rear of this structure. The funnels on this class were not as large in circumference as Motlke’s, but they were raised an additional ten feet, and a further ten-foot “boot cap” was designed on the forward funnel to keep smoke off the bridge and searchlight areas. Searchlight platforms were attached directly to the funnel casing – one pair facing forward, with single searchlights on either side. Air intakes for the boiler rooms were found at the rear base of the funnel. Like Von der Tann and Moltke, there was another “lozenge-shaped” funnel housing with air intakes and boat derricks located amidships between “B” and “E” wing turrets. The “lozenge” shape was a special design element to improve the main battery firing arcs, and allow cross-deck firing. The aft superstructure block included the secondary conning tower with rangefinder, four searchlights on two platforms stepped against the after mast, and air intakes around the base. Beyond that were two main battery turrets – “C” turret superfiring over “D” turret. The same machinery layout below decks as her predecessors, allowed the funnels and superstructure groups to be placed well clear of the main battery and firing arcs. Wide firing arcs were a critical element in Imperial Navy design, while foreign navies, like the British, crowded their decks with bulky superstructures -- restricting their firing arcs – a noted fault of the Invincible Class battlecruisers. “Grosse Kreuzer J” would ship a crew of 43 officers and 1,025 men. Close-up of the aft superfiring main battery turrets and the aft superstructure block. This shows the newly designed “Drh-L-C/1910” gun houses – a bit lower in profile and slightly broader. Note the rangefinder sighting hood on the top turret, while the roof of the bottom turret is clear to avoid damage from over-blast pressure. Behind “C” turret is the aft armored conning tower and fire control rangefinder, with engine room air intakes built into the housing around it. Here you can see the searchlight platforms stepped against the aft mast. Seydlitz is taking on fresh provisions. The barge crane is shifting them from lighters to the fantail deck where sailors are carrying them below through deck hatches. Some may be destined for an Admiral’s table while some might even be earmarked for the Kapitan. It was accepted practice for an admiral to have his own “chef”, “mess steward’, and store of delicacies. And it was quite common for the (usually) well-to-do Kapitans to have similar arrangements. The ship’s electrical suite was boosted over that of Moltke -- six turbo-generators totaling 1,800kw output at 220 volts. As a precaution against battle damage, the generators were divided between four dynamo rooms – one each to port and starboard of the forward engine room, and two more on the centreline, all on the Upper Platform Deck. The new ship retained Von der Tann’s extensive drainage and pumping system, with three high-capacity centrifugal pumps (two steam driven – one electrical) mounted on the Hold Deck. Several portable, electric “leak” pumps were carried to deal with “hard to reach” areas. In an emergency, the condenser pumps could be connected to the drainage system. Because of the obvious problems with visual communications between ships; ships operating out of sight of one another – bad weather – smoke or haze limiting visibility. In 1907, the Hochseeflotte began installing “wireless” telegraphy transmitters developed by the physicist Heinrich Hertz. They used an encrypted form of “Morse Code” to communicate between ships. By 1909, every ship in the Kaiserliche Marine had its own wireless transmission (WT) office equipped with at least one Telefunken vacuum tube wireless apparatus. The Grosse Kreuzer and other capital ships were equipped with the “standard” two wireless transmitters, three receivers, and as many antennas, and prior to 1914, an additional transmitter/receiver was installed in the forward conning tower. The devices were usually installed in at least three different locations to avoid loss of communication to battle damage. Unfortunately, for proper operation, the wireless antennas could only be strung between the foremast and mainmast – leaving them open to damage by gunfire. The bulk of these early vacuum tube transmitters had a tactical range of between 20 and 30 miles (just over the horizon). For longer range communication or, ship-to-shore traffic, larger sets were installed in the fleet, squadron, and division flagships. These bulky transmitters were capable of sending signals anywhere within the North Sea area – possibly 300 miles – but were, of course, subject to good or bad “atmospherics”. PROPULSION PLANT ”Grosse Kreuzer J” received a completely redesigned propulsion system with more powerful engines and an increase to twenty-seven naval-type Schulz-Thornycroft water-tube boilers. These were custom-built in the Blohm & Voss Boiler Works to a modified design. Six different sizes and shapes of boilers were specifically designed to conform to the ship’s hull contours, and the available space. Specially developed for the Kaiserliche Marine, the boilers were, for the most part, smaller and built of lighter, weight-saving materials. The double-ended, coal-fired boilers could deliver more steam, under higher pressure, and with lower coal consumption than other contemporary designs. They were arranged in five boiler rooms – two ahead of the “B” turret barbette – and three aft. Each of the three aft boiler rooms was divided into three compartments by two longitudinal bulkheads. There were 52 fire boxes, and from 1916, supplemental “oil-firing” was installed. Maximum bunker capacity was 3,460 tons of coal, providing an operating radius of 4,440 miles at 14 knots. “Grosse Kreuzer J” was designed for 63,000shp, to provide 25.5 knots. The boilers fed four sets of Parsons Steam Turbines manufactured at the Blohm & Voss Engine Works. High pressure turbines in the forward engine room worked two outer shafts, while low pressure cruising turbines in the aft engine room worked two inner shafts. There were reversing arrangements on all four shafts. The forward and aft engine rooms were divided along the centreline by a longitudinal bulkhead. Once again, two rudders were fitted, “in tandem”, along the centreline – irrespective of Moltke’s poor handling characteristics at low speeds. During design meetings, the subject of changing the new cruiser’s rudder arrangement had been taken up, but was dismissed due to long delays in redesigning the shape of the ship’s stern. Mostly by default, the “tandem rudder feature” would become standard on battlecruisers. Each rudder was driven by an auxiliary steam steering engine. In the event of damage, both rudders could be coupled to a single engine, or manually operated. Here you see SMS Seydlitz tied up at her berth along the breakwater in Cuxhaven Roadsted. Anchored ahead of her is SMS Moltke. Astern of her is SMS Derfflinger. This would have been the appearance of an average day in the main anchorage – each ship at its assigned berth, going about the every-day business of running a big warship. Warships are rarely, if ever, serene and peaceful – there is always work to be done – a complex piece of machinery to be tended – a thousand mouths to be fed – and a small floating city to be administered. SMS Derfflinger is courtesy of @Barroco Hispanoand the breakwaters are by “Uki”. The mooring points are by @mattb325, modified for use in my harbors. The white steam tug is by “WolfZe” – and EVERYTHING else is the wonderful work of "AP". SHIP’S ARMAMENT MAIN BATTERY “Grosse Kreuzer J” was armed with the same main battery as the preceding Moltke Class battlecruisers -- the Krupp 11-inch SK-L/50 (QF) high-velocity gun. The gun came into service in 1911 with an increased barrel length of 50 calibers – specifically designed to improve the velocity and accuracy of the previous SK-L/45 gun. Like Moltke, the gun houses (turrets) only allowed a +13.5 degree elevation, which limited the range to approximately 19,800 yards. After experiencing the battle ranges at Dogger Bank in 1915, the turrets were modified and the range increased to 20,900 yards. The prevailing poor visibility in the North Sea meant battle ranges varied considerably. On a rainy, hazy day, with blowing squalls – visibility could be intermittent – and only five miles. On better days (there is rarely a “good” day) visibility might vary between eight to ten miles – well within the maximum range of the guns. Mounted in five twin turrets, the guns were well placed: “A” turret (Albert) forward on the forecastle deck – “B” turret (Berta) in the starboard “forward wing” position – the aft superfiring turret “C” (Caesar), and “D” turret (David), aft on the fantail deck, with “E” turret (Emil) in the port “aft wing” position. By carefully positioning the turrets and superstructure, and keeping the “deck clutter” to an absolute minimum, the architects enabled her to “cross-deck fire” with the midships “wing turrets” on a 75 degree firing arc. This is a closer view of Seydlitz. She has a boat boom rigged-out and smaller boats are going and coming. A Thor Class harbor tug has pulled a barge crane alongside to transfer cargo to the battlecruiser. A Helena Class paddle tug has towed three lighters of fresh provisions out from shore and is standing-by to unload. A small cutter from the tug is trying to “hook-on” to the third lighter to work it into position. A small steam tug is passing to port with more fresh provisions, headed for another warship. The white steam tug is from “WolfZe” – the crane on the barge was borrowed from the “PEG” trash lots – and the mooring points are from “Mattb325”. The breakwaters are by “Uki” – but everything else is by "AP" – including the diagonal paddle tug and a lighter to match! Yet another new main battery gun house (turret) design was developed for “Grosse Kreuzer J” to replace the Drh-L-C/1908 (turntable mounting model 1908). The new Drh-L-C/1910 gun house had been designed with several changes in mind. But at the last minute, it was found these changes could not be implemented without major redesign of the ammunition hoists. However, some alterations to the turret roofs were carried out. The turret sighting hood was removed and its telescope was installed in the forward face of the turret, between the two guns, in a manner similar to the gun cradle telescopes. The “Turret Captain’s” hood was retained on top of “A”, “B”, “C”, and “E” turrets – but was removed from “D” turret because that one had “C” turret firing over the top. Each Turret Captain’s hood (or cupola) was equipped with a nine foot Zeiss rangefinder. If the Central Director Fire Control was disabled, the turret could be switched to “local control” and fired using the Zeiss optics. As in Moltke, an apparatus was installed coupling the barrels together for elevation and aiming in “director fire”. The gun houses were electrically trained, with an electrohydraulic elevating system for the gun tubes. The SK-L/50 rifle could fire a 666 lb armor-piercing shell at the rate of 3 rounds per minute. The shell was propelled by a “fore charge” of 58 lbs in a double silk bag – and a main charge of 175 lbs in a brass case. The brass case had two advantages; (1) the Krupp guns used a horizontal “sliding wedge breech”, sealed by the rear rim of the shell casing (an obturator seal) – and (2) “cased” charges were far less likely to burn or explode in an accident. The shells were capable of penetrating 11 inches of nickel-steel at 11,000 yards, and 8 inches at 13,000 yards. The magazines stored a total of 870 rounds. Fire Control “ranging and spotting” was handled from the fore or aft conning towers, whose upper floors housed the Fire Control Party operating Zeiss 12-foot stereoscopic rangefinders mounted on the roof. Other, smaller rangefinders were installed in various locations, and after 1914, a crow’s nest Fire Control position and rangefinder was added to the foremast. The control stations were connected to a Central Gunnery Control situated beneath the protective armored deck. Here, the ship’s Gunnery Officer received data from the remote stations, calculated target information, and issued firing orders to the “Turret Captains” via telephones or electro-mechanical “repeaters”. This view of SMS Seydlitz gives you a really good idea of just how sleek her hull form really was. At 656 feet in length, she was long for her day, and (as was common to German warships) just a bit wider in the beam than some foreign warships. But her hull model was “tank tested” and altered several times to get the optimum shape for high speed. She had powerful engines and “clean” underwater lines that made her faster than her opponents. SECONDARY BATTERY ”Grosse Kreuzer G” followed the now-standard pattern, and carried a strong secondary battery of 5.9-inch guns – the usual SK-L/45 (QF) high velocity weapon. It was an excellent, all-around, complement to the ship’s main battery. The twelve guns were mounted on the Battery Deck, in MPL-C/1906 armored casemates, six amidships on either beam. Like Moltke, the freeboard had been raised on Seydlitz and the Battery Deck guns were dry in all but the worst weather. (See Chapter 17 for specifics on gun performance.) TERTIARY BATTERY Twelve 3.5 inch SK-L/45 (QF) high-velocity guns were provided for torpedo boat defense in the original design. But war experience proved these light guns useless against modern destroyers, and they were gradually removed. In the end, the 5.9-inch guns were more than adequate for the job. (See Chapter 15 for specifics on gun performance.) TORPEDO ARMAMENT As was customary for the time period, all German capital ships carried a torpedo armament. “Grosse Kreuzer J” was fitted with four submerged 20-inch torpedo tubes. They were arranged in the standard pattern -- one fore and aft, and one on each beam. Eleven type G-7 torpedoes were carried. This view of Seydlitz shows the details of the uniquely designed forecastle deck and forward bridge structure. The graceful angles merging into the curves of the hull are classic design elements found in no other era of naval construction. The bridge superstructure, seemingly complicated, is – in fact – minimalist and utilitarian. One unusual feature is the upper “flying bridge” (Sometimes referred to as the Admiral’s bridge.) – extending out from both sides to provide a better view ahead and to make “docking” easier. It is set much higher than the navigation bridge and armored conning tower, and was preferred by both Kapitans and Admirals as a “command” position. Beside “A” turret you can see 11-inch shells, recently brought aboard, being stowed below by a work party. ARMOR “Grosse Kreuzer J” was an “improved” Moltke Class, and in keeping with that theory, her armor suite was laid out in an almost identical manner, but “tweaked” a bit – moving a bit from over here to over there – where it would do more good. And naval Intelligence had determined the British were replacing their 12-inch gun with the new BL 13.5-inch Mark V/45 – a much more powerful weapon. The new battlecruiser would have to be armored to withstand battle damage from these guns – so the three side belts (main, citadel, and battery) were thickened, and Krupp Cemented Armor, face-hardened with nickel-steel, was used in more places than previous designs. In essence, her armor was not only thicker, but harder to penetrate. German designers had to strike a delicate balance between guns, armor, and speed when designing their “Battleship-Cruisers” – as Korvettenkapitan Vollerthun called them. Eventually, they arrived at a very complicated and comprehensive layout compatible with the gun and speed requirements of a fast-battleship. Imperial German capital ships were consistently built with extensive and unusually thick armor suites by comparison to other navies. (I’m only going into the armoring scheme’s important aspects – see Chapters 15 and 17 for extensive details.) The new battlecruiser was armored throughout with Krupp Cemented Armor, face hardened with nickel steel, and backed with 2 inches of Teak to prevent spalling. (Dillingen-Hutte Werk provided the structural steel for construction and hull plating – not for armoring purposes.) The “protective armored deck”, unlike foreign warships, extended from stem to stern. The main belt armor was 11.8 inches of face-hardened nickel steel. The Citadel armor (the next level up) ran from barbette to barbette with 10.5 inches of armor – increasing to 11 inches in the area of the “wing turrets”. The Casemate armor (the final layer reaching the deck level) ran barbette to barbette and was 5.9 inches thick. The main battery turrets were also protected with Krupp Cemented Nickel Steel armor – turret faces 9.2 inches – sides and back 7.3 inches – roof 3.9 inches. The forward conning tower was protected by 12-inch armor -- the aft conning tower had 8 inches. The armor scheme was thicker and better arranged, and was, by itself, an achievement of some merit – but there were other factors to be considered. Another view of the forecastle. You can clearly see the navigation bridge to the rear of “A” turret, with the armored conning tower and rangefinder behind that. This is also a better view of the “flying bridge”. The boat boom, small cutter, and motor launch (by “AP”) were all placed on a stand-alone 1x1 lot plopped adjacent to the battlecruiser. The work party on the Mooring Points (by Mattb325) is preparing to tighten up the slack in the mooring hawsers – they often stretch after mooring (dampness). Note the fine detail on the small boats, motor launch, and the diagonal Helena Class paddle tug (also “AP”). The underwater protection of “Grosse Kreuzer J” was even more extensive than that of the Moltke Class battlecruisers. Sixteen transverse bulkheads divided the ship into seventeen vertical watertight compartments (two more than in Moltke). The protective armored deck (at the waterline) further divided some compartment horizontally – effectively creating twenty-two watertight compartments above and below the waterline. Between the transverse bulkheads -- within each of those “armored, watertight boxes” -- were numerous subdivisions. These were lighter steel bulkheads (in a house, you would call them “walls”) forming individual compartments (rooms) throughout the hull – Damage Control Center, Boatswain’s Store, Sail Locker, Capstan Engine Room, etc, etc. Each compartment could be sealed against flooding with watertight doors. In effect – the interior of the hull was a labyrinth of passageways, small compartments, and watertight doors – a “honeycomb” designed to keep the ship afloat in the event of damage. There were exceptions to the system, usually in the engineering spaces – boiler rooms and engine rooms – where the compartments were large, and often two or three decks in height. But “Grosse Kreuzer J” had well over 85 watertight subdivisions in her design – considerably more than most foreign warships – and she would be able to withstand a great deal of damage before sinking. (See Chapter 13 for difficulty sinking Blucher.) Here are two wider views of Seydlitz taking on stores and fresh provisions. “AP’s” battlecruiser model is highly detailed, Hi-Def, historically accurate, and a thing of beauty. In the second picture you have a clear view of the second funnel. Apparently, Seydlitz has just returned from a sortie into the North Sea, for her second funnel is still painted red. It was customary for German warships to paint their second funnels red upon leaving port -- as a recognition device. The red funnel could be more easily spotted in the dark and hazy North Sea conditions – thus preventing other German ships from exchanging fire with their own side. The white circles on the turret roof are for aerial recognition. German Zeppelins were notorious for mistaking German ships for British – and dropping bombs. Fortunately, they invariably missed. Some designers found watertight transverse bulkheads difficult to work with. In order to be effective, they must be solid, with no openings – or the openings must be sealed with watertight doors capable of withstanding immense water pressure. Warships are packed full of electrical lines, communication lines, water pipes, ventilation systems, and steam pipes -- running, in some cases, from end to end of the ship. It would be impractical to run a drain line from the Hold Deck up a bulkhead to the top, then down the other side, and back to the Hold Deck. Consequently, holes are often cut in bulkheads to run pipes, lines, and ventilation ducts. Anywhere one of these “lines or “pipes” goes through a bulkhead, it must be sealed – and sealed properly. Unfortunately, many dockyard workmen were never sufficiently impressed with the need to seal these openings securely. (This was to prove a curse to many dreadnoughts of the era.) And – it was not uncommon for a ventilation duct to be damaged by an explosion that flooded the compartment – allowing water to get into the duct – and flood a compartment on the other side of the bulkhead. Many possibilities for problems. Consequently, to make things less difficult in the design and construction phase, designers attempted to limit the number of watertight bulkheads they would have to deal with (the usual British solution). Following her predecessors, the new cruiser was given a built-in, armored torpedo bulkhead. (See Chapter 15 for details.) This was still a novel innovation and not at all common in foreign navies. But it was easier to repair a damaged ship than to build a replacement. As always, the ubiquitous coal bunker provided another layer of protection for Imperial warships. Like Von der Tann and the Moltke’s, the new battlecruiser made extensive use of outboard hull spaces as coal bunkers. (See Chapter 17 for specific details.) “Grosse Kreuzer J” was given the full suite of wrap-around coal bunkers. As a simple solution, coal was cheaper than Krupp steel, necessary to power the ship, and could absorb more destructive energy than a thick armor plate. Though other navies used protective coal bunkers, none were as comprehensive as those found on German capital ships. This is a close-up of the offshore replenishment. There are many details in the picture, especially among the sailors at work or in the boats. With the exception of the breakwater, mooring points, and – of course – the sea gulls – everything in the scene is courtesy of “AP”. (Note the gangway on the barge deck – nice touch.) A few of the props on the barge (gray barrels and crates) are from “Historic Harbors” and the crane is re-purposed from the “PEG” Trash lots. And special attention for the two diagonal models – many more to follow. “Grosse Kreuzer J” was, indeed, an improvement over the Moltke Class, but – as with all capital ships -- it was a vastly complicated, technically superior, and carefully conceived engineering marvel. And all of that – for the bargain price (after discounts) of 44.685 million Marks. It was during the First World War that German capital ships earned a reputation for being lethal in combat and almost impossible to sink – and “Grosse Kreuzer J” would be largely responsible for that reputation. She would prove to be – very nearly – the perfect “fast battleship” of her day. On 30 March 1912, “Grosse Kreuzer J” was christened SMS Seydlitz – in honor of the Prussian Lieutenant General der Cavallerie. Friedrich Wilhelm Seydlitz – ranked as, quite possibly, the greatest of all Prussian cavalry commanders. He became legendary for his reckless bravery, expert horsemanship, and tactical acumen. Brilliant leadership of Seydlitz’ massed cavalry squadrons were largely responsible for Frederick The Great’s victories at the battles of Kundersdorf, Kolin, Zorndorf, Leuthen, and especially Rossbach. He fought in the War Of The Austrian Succession and the Seven Year’s War – and was awarded both the Pour le Merite and the Prussian Order Of The Black Eagle. As SMS Seydlitz slid down the Blohm & Voss slipway at Hamburg, none could know she would embody the very spirit of her illustrious namesake. SMS Seydlitz under easy steam – circa 1915. NEXT TIME…… THE FLAGSHIP MANY THANKS to @Barroco Hispano for his beautiful warship models. SPECIAL THANKS to my friend and partner, @AP, for his talents, meticulous detail, colorful imagination, and wonderful models. Wt hope you enhoy them just half as much as I do ! If you enjoyed anything – please punch the “like” button so WE will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of our ability. THANK YOU for your visit! You may wish to visit these CJ’s as well…… SERIES I: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: WILHELMSHAVEN SERIES II: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN Appearing – Work In Publication SERIES III: IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: BREMERHAVEN Appearing -- ??? And please feel free to drop in at… THE SIMTROPOLIS SHIPYARD https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/761469-simtropolis-shipyard/?tab=comments#comment-1766496- 4 Comments
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