III. (b) Avisos (Dispatch Boats)

[swamphen]

III. Korvetten.
..(b) Avisos.
.....SMS Greif
.....SMS Hela

[swamphen]

Greif class

SMS Greif - laid down 1885, commissioned 1887, scrapped 1902

[swamphen]

Hela class

SMS Hela - laid down 1893, commissioned 1895 - SUNK 28 January 1908 in the Second Battle of the Afrika Rift



DKB Aviso laid down 1893 (Engine 1895)

Displacement:
   1,965 t light; 2,020 t standard; 2,325 t normal; 2,568 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   345.14 ft / 343.18 ft x 36.09 ft x 14.60 ft (normal load)
   105.20 m / 104.60 m x 11.00 m  x 4.45 m

Armament:
      4 - 3.46" / 88.0 mm guns in single mounts, 15.43lbs / 7.00kg shells, 1892 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side ends, evenly spread
      4 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm guns in single mounts, 3.86lbs / 1.75kg shells, 1885 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships
      2 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm guns in single mounts, 3.86lbs / 1.75kg shells, 1885 Model
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
     on side, all forward
     2 guns in hull casemates - Limited use in all but light seas
      2 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1896 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, all aft
      2 - 0.30" / 7.7 mm guns in single mounts, 0.01lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1897 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, all forward, all raised mounts - superfiring

   Weight of broadside 88 lbs / 40 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

   3 - 15.7" / 400 mm submerged torpedo tubes (1 bow, 2 side)

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm         -               -
   3rd:   0.79" / 20 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 0.79" / 20 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 6,000 ihp / 4,476 Kw = 19.57 kts
   Range 3,200nm at 12.00 kts (Bunkerage = 548 tons)

Complement:
   166 - 217

Cost:
   £0.222 million / $0.890 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 13 tons, 0.6 %
   Armour: 127 tons, 5.4 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 11 tons, 0.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 115 tons, 5.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 1,017 tons, 43.7 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 798 tons, 34.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 359 tons, 15.5 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 10 tons, 0.4 %
      - 10 tons, torpedoes, 4 per tube

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     1,416 lbs / 642 Kg = 68.1 x 3.5 " / 88 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.67
   Metacentric height 2.5 ft / 0.8 m
   Roll period: 9.5 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 74 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.04
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.450
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9.51 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 18.53 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 42 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 37
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -15.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 1.97 ft / 0.60 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      14.76 ft / 4.50 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   14.76 ft / 4.50 m
      - Mid (80 %):      14.76 ft / 4.50 m (6.56 ft / 2.00 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   6.56 ft / 2.00 m
      - Stern:      6.56 ft / 2.00 m
      - Average freeboard:   13.12 ft / 4.00 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 158.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 128.1 %
   Waterplane Area: 7,900 Square feet or 734 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 102 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 56 lbs/sq ft or 274 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.93
      - Longitudinal: 1.93
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather