KM Koln (CL-1931)
Back to Germanic States Navy page:
While the Emden introduced multi-gun turrets the Koln expanded that with the first triple turrets for cruisers. The ships were constrained by the treaties they were built under which restricted their displacement to 7000 tons standard. The ships were not quite as well armoured and were short ranged due to bunker size limits, and did not compare too favourably with the British light cruisers that were built at an 8000 ton limit.
(Except for renaming I have not altered DG_Alphas drawing at all. He has done a wonderful job of depicting the K class cruisers.)
These three cruisers were the only light cruisers built by the Germans (other than Emden) that were built to the Treaty limits given to them as the following cruiser classes were built under the no limit treatys from 1930 onward. The light AA armament was continually enhanced throughout the ships lives. Radar and other advances were fitted to the ships as by refits and/or damage repair.
| Displacement | 7,700 tons std, 9,600 tons full load |
| Length | 571 ft |
| Breadth | 50 ft |
| Draught | 21 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft Steam Turbines 65,000shp |
| Speed | 32 knots |
| Range | 4000 miles at 18 knots |
| Armour | 70mm side, 40mm deck |
| Armament | 9 x 5.9" (3x3) 4 x 3.4" (4x1) 8 x 37mm (4x2) |
| Aircraft | 1 |
| Torpedoes | 12 x 21" (4x3) |
| Mines | 120 when fitted for minelaying |
| Complement | 790 |
| Notes | KM Konigsberg |
Because of the ships only having one turret forward, the ships had the stern turrets offset to port and starboard to open the angle that they could fire forward.