A fast cruiser for overseas service
Triple-screw propulsion and a high designed speed produced a versatile cruiser for fleet scouting and distant deployment.
6318 tMaximum displacement
123,20 mOverall length
21,6 knMaximum speed
430Complement
Design and service
A cruiser between two naval eras
Kaiserin Augusta combined high speed and worldwide reach at a moment when Germany was defining the role of its modern cruising fleet.
The full story
History of Kaiserin Augusta
The Kaiserin Augusta was the first cruiser of the German navy without sails and the first German warship with three shafts. It had an engine that was four times as powerful as the last cruiser corvette, the Charlotte, and a speed advantage of 33%.
As this ship introduced several new features, it is no surprise that its deign had several problem. During a weapons refit only one year after being commissioned, the ship's structure had to be enhanced in many structural areas. It was a very unstable ship at heavy seas, exhibiting much moving and rolling very. Additionally, its maneuverability was not very good.
When being commissioned the ship was only completed with a provisional armament. It was another four years before the planed armament could be installed. The Kaiserin Augusta was sent to East Asia for five years and was modernized and then put into reserve status when it returned to Germany. During World War I it was reactivated as a training and coast defence ship and was broken down after the war.
Operational history
Service timeline
Commissioned with a provisorical armament.
Put out of service, major repairs and refits. A huge engine breakdown occurred during engine tests.
Planned armament is installed.
Sent to East Asia, part of the cruiser squadron.
Returned to Germany.
Modernized, after that put into reserve status.
Recommissioned as artillery training ship and part of the Baltic Sea defence fleet.
Used as a target ship.
Final decommission.
Stricken from fleet list.
Scrapped in Kiel.
At a glance
Technical profile
Dimensions, armament, protection and performance.
Dimensions
- Size (Max)
- 6318 t
- Length (Total)
- 123,20 m
- Beam
- 15,60 m
- Draft
- 7,20 m
- Crew
- 430
Armament
- 15 cm L/40 C/97
- 4 (1896: 12; 1916: 1)
- 10 cm L/35
- 6 (until 1896; 4 since 1916)
- 8,8 cm
- 8 since 1896 (9 since 1916)
- 35 cm torpedo tubes
- 5 (until 1916)
Armor
- Deck
- 50-70 mm
- Command Tower
- 20-50 mm (max)
Machinery
- Shafts
- 3
- Engines
- 3
- Type
- 3 cyl expansion
Performance
- Total Performance
- 14015 shp
- Speed
- 21,6 kn
- Range
- 3240 miles at 12 kn
The archive
Models
Ship models in 1/1250 scale.
Construction record
Kaiserin Augusta
- Laid down
- Germaniawerft Kiel, 1890
- Launched
- 15.01.1892
- Commissioned
- 17.11.1895
- Fate
- scrapped 1920