The mature pre-turbine cruiser
Refined protection, four funnels and reliable machinery produced capable scouts, though foreign battlecruiser development soon made them obsolete.
10266 tMaximum displacement
127,80 mOverall length
21,1 knMaximum speed
633Complement
Design and service
A capable cruiser made obsolete
Roon represented a polished conventional armored-cruiser design, but turbines and battlecruisers transformed naval warfare soon after completion.
The full story
History of Roon
Although looking different to their predecessors, the two armored cruisers of the Roon class were very similar to the Prinz Adalbert class. With the same armament, same armor protection scheme their only improvement was speed - to increase their top speed, a larger engine system and a fourth funnel had to be added.
Unlike other armored cruisers, they were used for normal fleet operations during World War I. Roon took part in some Baltic Sea operations, from 1916 it was used as a floating barrack in Kiel. In 1918 it was considered to convert the ship into a seaplane carrier, but this was canceled after the end of the war. In 1921, the ship was scrapped in Kiel.
Operational history
Service timeline
After training and trials the ship is attached to the reconnaissance forces.
Decommissioned.
At the outbreak of the war, the armored cruiser is attached to the 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron.
Operations in the Eastern Baltic Sea to assist the grounded CL Magdeburg.
Used to protect the Baltic Sea entrance.
Roon took part in several Operations in the Baltic Sea: The attack on Libau, several mine operations and the invasion of the baltic islands.
Put out of active service due to of bad material conditions. The ship is used as a torpedo test ship and training ship for cadets.
Conversion into seaplane carrier is stopped at the end of the war.
Stricken from fleet lists.
Broken down in Kiel.
At a glance
Technical profile
Dimensions, armament, protection and performance.
Dimensions
- Size (Max)
- 10266 t
- Length (Total)
- 127,80 m
- Length (Waterline)
- 123,30 m
- Beam
- 20,20 m
- Draft
- 7,76 m
- Crew
- 633
Armament
- 21 cm L/40
- 4
- 15 cm L/40 C/97
- 10
- 8,8 cm
- 14
- 3,7 cm
- 4
- 45 cm torpedo tubes
- 4 (below waterline)
Armor
- Deck
- 40-60 mm
- Belt
- 100 mm
- Command Tower
- 100 mm (max)
- Turrets
- 150 mm (max)
Machinery
- Shafts
- 3
- Engines
- 3
- Type
- 3-cyl triple-expansion
Performance
- Total Performance
- 20625 shp
- Speed
- 21,1 kn
- Range
- 4200 sm at 12 kn
The archive
Models
Ship models in 1/1250 scale.
Construction record
Roon
- Laid down
- Kaiserliche Werft Kiel, 01.07.1902
- Launched
- 27.06.1903
- Commissioned
- 05.04.1906
- Fate
- scrapped in 1921