Admiral Graf Spee (Panzerschiff - River Plate Legend!)
RIVER PLATE LEGEND - 1936 Most Famous Panzerschiff! - Commissioned January 6, 1936 (last Deutschland-class). 12,340 tons, 28.5 kts, 6× 28cm (11") guns. Diesel commerce raider (16,300 nm range!). Sank 9 merchant ships (50,089 GRT) in 3 months! CHIVALROUS! (No crew casualties - all rescued!) Captain Langsdorff followed prize rules. Battle of River Plate (December 13, 1939): Fought HMS Exeter, Ajax, Achilles! HMS Exeter crippled (61 dead) but heroic! Graf Spee hit 70 times, 36 dead, 60 wounded, 60% ammunition expended! British bluff! (Spread false intelligence of reinforcements - Renown actually 2,500 miles away!) Langsdorff believed bluff, sought refuge Montevideo. Uruguay: 72 hours only! Hitler: "No internment!" SCUTTLED December 17, 1939 at 19:52! Crew saved. Langsdorff: SUICIDE December 20 (wrapped in Imperial flag, shot himself). British + Argentines honored honorable foe! HUGE BRITISH MORALE BOOST! MOST FAMOUS POCKET BATTLESHIP!
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 14890 t
- Displacement (full)
- 16200 t
- Length
- 610.2 ft
- Beam
- 71 ft
- Crew
- 1150 (officers + men)
- Ships built
- 1 (third and last Deutschland-class)
- Commissioned
- 1936 (January 6, 1936)
- Decommissioned
- 1939 (scuttled December 17, 1939)
Performance
- Top speed
- 28.5 kn
- Range
- 10000 nm at 20 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- "6× 28cm SK C/28 guns" (2× triple turrets - 11-INCH!)
- Secondary guns
- "8× 15cm SK C/28 guns" (4× twin turrets)
- Torpedoes
- 8× 53.3cm torpedo tubes
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 80mm (3.1 inches - thin! Speed emphasized!)
- Deck
- 45mm
In-Game
- Tier
- T2
- Game power
- 26.85
- Research cost
- 2,363
- Credit cost
- 18,795
Notable
- **RIVER PLATE LEGEND!** (Most famous Panzerschiff!)
- Third and last Deutschland-class (commissioned January 6, 1936)
- **Battle of River Plate** (December 13, 1939) - legendary naval battle!
- Sank **9 merchant ships** (50,089 GRT) in 3 months commerce raiding
- **CHIVALROUS RAIDER!** (No crew casualties - all rescued!)
- Captain Langsdorff followed prize rules, treated prisoners honorably
- Fought **Force G** (HMS Exeter, Ajax, Achilles)
- HMS Exeter: Hit 70 times, 7 salvos, 61 dead, crippled but heroic!
- Graf Spee hit **70 times** by 6" shells, 36 dead, 60 wounded
- Expended **60% ammunition** in 76-minute battle
- **British tactical victory** - forced Graf Spee to withdraw!
- Commodore Harwood knighted for victory!
- **BRITISH BLUFF!** (Spread false intelligence of reinforcements!)
- HMS Renown actually **2,500 miles away** - couldn't arrive in time!
- Only HMS Cumberland actually arrived (not overwhelming force!)
- Langsdorff believed bluff, chose scuttling over hopeless battle
- Uruguay granted only **72 hours** in neutral port
- Hitler: **"No internment!"** (Prefer scuttling to capture!)
- Crew transferred to *Tacoma*, safely evacuated to Argentina
- **SCUTTLED December 17, 1939** at 19:52 (8:52 PM)
- Burned for 3 days in shallow water
- Captain Langsdorff: **SUICIDE December 20, 1939**
- Wrapped in Imperial German naval ensign, shot himself
- "To atone for loss of ship" and save crew from blame
- British + Argentine officers attended funeral (honored foe!)
- Hitler FURIOUS at scuttling (wanted glorious battle death!)
- **HUGE BRITISH MORALE BOOST** - first major victory of WWII!
- Last German captain to follow traditional prize rules!
- Wreck visible above water for decades, partially salvaged
- Nazi eagle removed 2006 (controversial museum piece!)
- **MOST FAMOUS POCKET BATTLESHIP IN HISTORY!**