Pillau class light cruiser

The "Pillau" class of light cruisers was a pair of ships built in Germany just before the start of World War I. The ships were initially ordered for the Russian Navy, but after the outbreak of war, Germany confiscated the ships before they were transferred to Russia. The ships were similar in design to other German light cruisers, except that they lacked an armored belt. They were the first German light cruisers to be equipped with 150mm (5.9in) guns.

Design

Dimensions and machinery

The "Pillau" class ships were 134.3 m long at the waterline, and 135.3 m in length overall. The ships had a beam of 13.6 m, a draught of 5.64 m, and displaceed 4,390 tonnes at a normal load, and 5,252 tonnes with a full load.cite web|title=WWI Naval Combat|url=http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/cruisers/sms-pillau.html|accessdate=February 19|accessyear=2008] The ships were propelled by 2 shaft Navy turbines, which delivered 30,000 shp and a top speed of 27.5 knots.

Armament and armor

The ships were armed with eight 150mm (5.9in) guns in single mounts along both sides of the ship. They also carried two 88mm (3.4in) guns, two 500mm (19.7in) torpedo tubes, and 120 mines. The ships were had an armored deck that ranged in thickness from .5 inches to 3 inches.

ervice history

The two ships of the "Pillau" class had eventful careers during the First World War. "Pillau" served in the II Scouting Group, and took part in the battles in the Gulf of Riga, off Jutland, and the Heligoland Bight. She survived the war, and was taken by Italy as war reparations. She was renamed "Bari", and sunk in 1943.

"Elbing" was also assigned to the II Scouting Group in 1916, and took part in the raid on Yarmouth in April of that year. The following month, she fought at the Battle of Jutland, where she received moderate damage from British destroyers. In the confused night action, she accidentally collided with the battleship "Posen". Unable to control the flooding caused by the collision, "Elbing" was abandoned and scuttled by her crew in the early morning hours.

References