German Pre-Dreadnought Battleship SMS Kaiser Friedrich III

SMS Kaiser Friedrich III was laid down in 1895 at the Kaiserliche Werft in Wilhelmshaven, launched on 1 July 1896, and commissioned into service with the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) on 7 October 1899. She was the first of her class, which also included SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II, SMS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, SMS Kaiser Karl der Grosse and SMS Kaiser Barbarossa.

These ships reflected evolving German battleship design with improved armament layout and propulsion compared to earlier Brandenburg-class battleships. Kaiser Friedrich III displaced about 11,600 tons at full load, measured 125.3 metres long, and had a top speed of around 17.5 knots powered by triple-expansion steam engines.

Her primary armament consisted of four 24 cm (9.4 inch) guns in two twin turrets, fore and aft. These were supported by eighteen 15 cm (5.9 inch) secondary guns and twelve 8.8 cm (3.5 inch) guns. She also carried six 45 cm torpedo tubes. Protection was provided by Harvey armor, with a belt up to 300 mm thick.

Service History

Upon commissioning, Kaiser Friedrich III became the flagship of the German Home Fleet (Heimatflotte), serving in this capacity until 1905. During this period, she was involved in fleet maneuvers, training cruises, and diplomatic visits, projecting German naval power.

However, like all pre-dreadnoughts, her role diminished rapidly following the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906, which rendered earlier battleships obsolete. From 1905 onward, she was replaced as flagship by newer vessels and reassigned to secondary duties. She was placed in reserve and occasionally reactivated for training purposes.

World War

At the outbreak of World War I, Kaiser Friedrich III and her sister ships were briefly mobilized into the V Battle Squadron (V. Geschwader) for coastal defense and training duties. Given their outdated design and limited combat value compared to newer dreadnoughts, they did not participate in frontline operations.

By 1915, she was disarmed and used as a harbor ship in Kiel. After the war, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, she was stricken from the naval register in 1920 and subsequently scrapped in 1921.