Weinsshafen-class cruiser

Weinsshafen-class cruiser

WMS Weinsshafen
Class overview
Name:	Weinsshafen class
Operators:	Volgaria
Preceded by:	Dundare-class
Succeeded by:	None
In commission:	1937–1965
Planned:	3
Completed:	3
Cancelled:	0
Lost:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Heavy cruiser
Displacement:	Design: 16,170 t (15,910 long tons; 17,820 short tons) Full load: 18,200 long tons (18,500 t)
Length:	202.8 m (665 ft 4 in) overall
Beam:	21.3 m (69 ft 11 in)
Draft:	Full load: 7.2 m (24 ft)
Propulsion:	3 × steam turbines 3 × three-blade propellers 132,000 shp (98 MW)
Speed:	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range:	6,800 nmi (12,600 km; 7,800 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:	42 officers 1,340 enlisted
Armament:	8 × 20.3 cm (8.0 in) guns 12 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/33 guns 12 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 guns 8 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 guns (20 × 1) 12 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Belt: 70 to 80 mm (2.8 to 3.1 in) Armor deck: 20 to 50 mm (0.79 to 1.97 in) Turret faces: 105 mm (4.1 in)
Aircraft carried:	3 aircraft
Aviation facilities:	1

The Weinsshafen class was a group of three heavy cruisers built by the Volgarian Navy (Marine) from 1935 to 1940 and in service from 1939 to 1965. The class comprised Weinsshafen, the lead ship, Schrötter and Ansnau. Weinsshafen was designated as the flagship of the Volgarian Navy when it was commissioned in 1938. All three saw service in the Second Great War and took part in numerous naval operations and manoeuvres in the Tennish Sea and the open ocean.

The class was built as a result of the Volgarian naval rearmament program of the 1930's and 40's. While the military high command was eager to build a quantity of large battleships and battlecruisers, the Volgarian naval industry however was unable to build ships of said scale and quantity mainly due to a lack of resources, experiences and available shipyards. As such it was settled that instead, three heavy cruisers would be built, with one becoming the new flagship of the Volgarian fleet. The first ship, Weinsshafen began construction in late 1935, and was completed in early 1937. It was followed by her sister ships the Schrötter and Ansnau which were completed and commissioned in 1938 and 1940 respectively.

Both the Weinsshaffen and Ansnau would survive the war, while the Schrötter would be scuttled near the Tennish strait by a squadron of naval bombers. The two surviving ships would subsequently serve until 1965, though their roles diminished as a result of an advancement in naval technology. Both would be decommissioned from active service in 1965 and spend eleven more years in the reserve fleet until being scrapped in 1977 for their steel due to the construction the Volgarian Grand National Diet.