SMS Schleswig-Holstein (Deutschland-class - Started WWII!)
FIRST SHOTS OF WWII - 1908 Started the War! - Deutschland-class pre-dreadnought (commissioned July 6, 1908). 13,191 tons, 18.5 kts, 4× 28cm (11") guns. 37 YEARS SERVICE! (1908-1945 - BOTH WORLD WARS!). Survived Battle of Jutland (May 31-June 1, 1916) - unlike sister Pommern! Treaty of Versailles: Germany allowed to keep! Converted training ship (1926). Deployed Danzig (August 25, 1939 - "courtesy visit"!). SEPTEMBER 1, 1939, 04:45 AM: FIRST SHOTS OF WWII! Bombarded WESTERPLATTE (Polish depot)! 182 Polish defenders resisted 7 DAYS (heroic!)! 28cm guns point-blank range! Luftwaffe Stukas joined! Poles surrendered September 7 (ammunition exhausted). SYMBOLIC IRONY: 31-year-old obsolete BB started WWII! WWII: Training ship, shore bombardment. Scuttled May 4, 1945 (Kiel, 4 days before war ended!). Scrapped 1960s. SHIP THAT STARTED WWII! HISTORICAL LEGEND!
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 13191 t
- Displacement (full)
- 14218 t
- Length
- 418.6 ft
- Beam
- 72.8 ft
- Crew
- 743 (peacetime), reduced in WWII
- Ships built
- 1 (fourth Deutschland-class ship)
- Commissioned
- 1908 (July 6, 1908)
- Decommissioned
- 1945 (scuttled May 4, 1945) / scrapped 1960s
Performance
- Top speed
- 19.1 kn
- Range
- 4500 nm at 10 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- "4× 28cm SK L/40 guns" (2× twin turrets - 11-INCH!)
- Secondary guns
- "14× 17cm SK L/40 guns" (6.7-inch casemate guns)
- Torpedoes
- "6× 45cm torpedo tubes" (submerged, later removed)
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 225-240mm Krupp cemented armor
- Deck
- 40mm
- Fire control
- Improved fire control systems
In-Game
- Tier
- T1
- Game power
- 4.41
- Research cost
- 97
- Credit cost
- 3,087
Notable
- **FIRST SHOTS OF WWII!** (September 1, 1939, 04:45 AM!)
- **STARTED WWII!** (Bombardment of Westerplatte!)
- Fourth Deutschland-class (commissioned July 6, 1908)
- **37 YEARS SERVICE!** (1908-1945 - Both World Wars!)
- Last German pre-dreadnought class
- **13,191 tons standard**, **18.5 kts**, **4× 28cm (11") guns**
- Triple-expansion steam engines (19,000 ihp)
- Krupp cemented armor (225-240mm belt)
- II Squadron, High Seas Fleet (WWI)
- **Survived Battle of Jutland** (May 31-June 1, 1916) - unlike Pommern!
- Escaped night action with minimal damage (lucky!)
- **Treaty of Versailles**: Germany allowed to keep (training ship!)
- Converted to training ship (1926)
- Limited modernization (1920s-1930s): oil supplement, AA guns
- Deployed to Danzig (August 25, 1939) - "courtesy visit" (pre-planned!)
- **September 1, 1939, 04:45 AM: FIRST SHOTS OF WWII!**
- Bombarded **WESTERPLATTE** (Polish military depot, Danzig)
- 182 Polish defenders resisted 7 days (heroic!)
- Main battery 28cm guns at point-blank range!
- Luftwaffe Stukas joined bombardment
- Poles surrendered September 7 (ammunition exhausted)
- **SYMBOLIC IRONY**: 31-year-old obsolete BB started WWII!
- WWII service: Training ship, shore bombardment (Eastern Front)
- **Scuttled May 4, 1945** (Kiel harbor, 4 days before war ended!)
- Partially raised, finally scrapped 1960s
- **SHIP THAT STARTED WWII!** (Historical legend!)
- Served BOTH World Wars (rare achievement!)
- Longest-serving Deutschland-class ship (with Schlesien, Hannover)