SMS Frankfurt

SMS "Frankfurt" was a "Wiesbaden" class light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. Construction of the ship started before World War I, but she was not completed until after hostilities began. She was laid down at the Kiel Navy dockyard in January 1913 and launched in 1915.

Design

Dimensions and machinery

"Frankfurt" was 141.7m at the waterline, and 145.3m long overall. She had a beam of 13.9m, a draught of 5.8m, and displaced 5,180 tonnes standard, and 6,601t with a full load. "Frankfurt" was propelled by two-shaft Navy turbines, which produced 31,000shp, and delivered a top speed of 27.5 knots.

Armament

Frankfurt was armed with eight 150mm (5.9in) guns, singly mounted. Two guns were mounted in a pair forward, one on either side of the forward superstructure, one on either side of the aft superstructure, and two mounted aft, in a superfiring configuration. She was also armed with two 88mm guns, four 500mm (19.7in) torpedo tubes, and 120 naval mines.

ervice history

During World War I "Frankfurt" took part in the Battle of Jutland and was interned at Scapa Flow at the end of the War. "Frankfurt" was taken over by the U.S. 11 March 1920 in England, commissioned 4 June, towed to East Coast, and sunk as a target of Gen. Billy Mitchell's aerial bombing demonstration on 18 July 1921.