these are pictures of the German Imperial Navy's last and most modern armored cruiser SMS Blucher. Blucher was fast, large and well armed for an armored cruiser but was no match for the British Battlecruisers which sank her at the Battle of the Dogger Bank in 1915. Blucher had a main battery of 12 8.2" guns and a secondary of 8 5.9" guns. she had three triple expansion engines putting out around 35,000 shaft horsepower and a top speed of a little over 25kts. not good enough to fight the battlecruisers though. they went at least 27kts and had a main battery of 15" guns and thus could outrange and outrun poor Blucher. the top picture shows SMS Blucher at perhaps flank speed, she's moving right along. the second is Blucher at anchor with steam up. the final shows her about to roll over and go down during the battle with the crew hoping to escape lining the upper edge of the ship and moving down to jump into the sea. a horrible end for a beautiful ship and the sailors who manned her. they didn't give up and fought to the very end.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Armored Cruiser Thursday
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