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fighting ships of the world

K-U-K MARINE - AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN NAVY (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)

CRUISERS

ZENTA protected cruisers (1899-1901)

Zenta 1899

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Zenta     Marinearsenal Pola 8.8.1896 18.8.1897 28.5.1899 sunk 16.8.1914
Aspern     Marinearsenal Pola 4.10.1897 3.5.1899 29.5.1900 accommodation ship 1918
Szigetvár     Marinearsenal Pola 25.5.1899 29.10.1900 30.9.1901 accommodation ship 1918

 

Displacement normal, t

2313

Displacement full, t

Zenta: 2503

Aspern: 2625

Szigetvár: 2562

Length, m

96.9 oa 96.0 wl

Breadth, m

11.7

Draught, m

4.24

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 4-cyl VTE, 8 Yarrow boilers

Power, h. p.

8160

Max speed, kts

20.8

Fuel, t

coal 500

Endurance, nm(kts)

3500(12)

Armour, mm

steel; deck: 40 with 50mm slopes, casemates: 35, CT: 50

Armament

8 x 1 - 120/37 G. L/40 SC.96, 8 x 1 - 47/40 SFK L/44 S, 2 x 1 - 47/30 SFK L/33 H, 2 x 1 - 8.80, 2 - 450 TT (beam)

Complement

308

Project history: Although obsolete these three light cruisers saw active service at the beginning of the WWI. During the war the remaining two units were de-activated.

Ship protection: Steel deck had 40mm flat and 50mm slopes. Casemates were protected by 35mm steel. CT had 50mm sides.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: Zenta was the leader of six torpedo boats blockading the Montenegrin coast. During a one hour sea battle she was sunk by French battleships on 16.8.1914. The torpedo boat Ulan, accompanying her, escaped. Aspern was disarmed in 1918 and served as an accommodation ship at Pola. Szigetvár was disarmed in 1918 and served at the Torpedo Warfare School as an accommodation and target ship. Both were ceded to Great Britain as war reparation, but were sold to Italy and scrapped there in 1920.

Szigetvár 1905

© Ivan Gogin, 2014