SMS Freya

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S.M.S. Freya.jpg
Career (Germany) Kaiser
Name: Freya
Namesake: Freya
Builder: Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig
Laid down: January 1896
Launched: 27 April 1897
Completed: 28 October 1898
Commissioned: October 1900
Fate: Scrapped in 1921
General characteristics
Class and type: Victoria Louise class protected cruiser
Displacement: 5,660t standard;
6,491t full load
Length: 363.16 ft (110.69 m)
Beam: 57.16 ft (17.42 m)
Draught: 22.66 ft (6.91 m)
Propulsion: 10,000 hp, three shafts
Speed: 19.5 knots (36 km/h)
Complement: 477
Armament: Two 9.4 in (24 cm) (2 × 1)
eight5.9 in (15 cm) (8 × 1)
ten3.45 in (8.8 cm) (10 × 1)
three17.7 in (45 cm) torpedo tubes
Armor: 4 in (10 cm) in deck

Seiner Majestät Schiff Freya was a protected cruiser of the Victoria Louise class, built for the Kaiserliche Marine before the turn of the 20th Century. Freya was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Danzig. She was laid down in January 1896, and completed in October 1900 at a cost of 11,094,000 Marks.

Design

Dimensions and machinery

Freya was 358 feet 3 inches (109.19 m) long at the waterline, and had an overall length of 363 feet 2 inches (110.69 m) She had a beam of 57 feet 2 inches (17.42 m) and a draught of 22 feet 9 inches (6.93 m) Freya displaced 5,660 tons on a standard load, and 6,491 tons fully loaded. The ship was powered by three shaft triple expansion engines, that produced 10,000 ihp (7,500 kW) and delivered a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h).

Between 1905 and 1911, the ships of the Victoria Louise class were modernized. The ships had their boilers replaced, and had their original three funnels reduced to two stacks.

Armor and armament

Freya was protected by 4-inch (100 mm) thick armor plating on the decks. The ship was armed with a wide mix of armaments. The main armament consisted of two 8.2-inch (208 mm) guns mounted in single turrets fore and aft. The secondary armament comprised eight 5.9-inch (150 mm) guns in casemates along the length of the ship, along with ten 3.4-inch (86 mm) guns, also casemated. The ships were also armed with three 17.7-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes.

Service history

At the start of World War I, Freya was assigned to coastal defense duties. By November 1914, however, she was removed from front line service and turned into a barracks ship. In April 1915, she became a training ship, and served in this capacity until the end of the war. In 1921, Freya was sold for scrap.

External links

es:SMS Freya