| Austro-Hungarian "Admiral Spaun" |
| - Scout Cruisers - |
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Cruisers |
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| In the years before the introduction of wireless telegraphy all major navies started to build fast scout cruisers to act as "eyes of the fleet". 1st May 1906 the A.-H. navy too started to design a 3,500 t turbine driven scout like the British Pelorus-class. A four shaft layout was chosen to guarantee the requested dash speed. Because a turbine is extremely un-economical at slow revolutions special cruising turbines were fitted to the inner shafts. Italy countered by constructing her own scout, Quarto, 1909-11 | ||||
| The Admiral Spaun was the first A.-H. unit to be christened after a living person not belonging to the Imperial House of Habsburg – the former CinC vice-admiral Hermann Freiherr von Spaun –, to honour his ruthless energy in creating a modern A.-H. navy despite strong Hungarian opposition. | ||||
| The design showed a light belt armor, making this scout cruiser a dangerous opponent in a narrow sea like the Adriatic. Wartime experience showed the 100 mm gun's inferiour battle range, but all plans to upgun the ship and the followup units of the improved Spaun Type were turned down because of the war. She saw active duty during World War One, was transferred by Italy to Venice and participated in the Italian V-Day fleet parade on 25 March 1919. End of January 1920 she was ceded by the Allied Naval Delegations at Paris to Italy to be scrapped there. | ||||
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| Technical Data | ||
| Laid down: Launched: Commissioned: Displacement: Dimensions: Propulsion: Max. Speed: Range: Fuel: Crew: |
30 May 1908 at the Seearsenal Pola 30 October 1909 15 November 1910 3,383.85 / 3,943.89 ts 130.64 × 12.79 × 5.00 m 25,000/25,130 IHP; 16 Yarrow boilers; 4 Parsons turbines; 4 shafts 27.07 kts ? 786 t coal or 648 t briquettes 327 |
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| Tactical Data | ||
| Main: QF: Armour: Torpedoes: Searchlights: |
7x100 cal 50 Skoda K 10 [7x1] 1x66 cal 50 AA; 1x8 machine gun belt: 60; deck: 20; turrets: 40; conning tower: 50 2x450 [2x1] (replaced by 8x533 [4x2] in 1915) 3x900, 2x450 |
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