Displacement (standard): 8960 t

Length*width*draft: 114,5*21,2*7,4 m

Output: 13300 HP

Speed: 19 kn

Range: 3600 miles

Armament: 3*240 mm L/40, 12*150 mm L/40, 10*70 mm L/45, 6*47 mm L/44, 2x47 mm L/33, 2*450 mm TT

Armour: 200 mm belt, 40 mm deck, 200 mm tower

Crew: 740

The Habsburg-class ships were the first battleships of the Austro-Hungarian navy. These ships were capable for mayor missions on the open seas. When the war broke out, they were obsolescent, and only usable for coastal defence. Before the end of the war, they were already withdrawn to accommodation duties.

The Habsburg and the ?p? were built at Stabilimento Tecnico Trietino in Trieste, the Babenberg at the Naval Arsenal Pola.

Class history contributed by Alex Lakatos

Habsburg

Laid down: 13.03.1899.

Launched: 09.09.1900.

Commissioned: 31.12.1902.

The Habsburg became the flagship of the fleet after her commission, and until the commission of the Erzherzog Karl, she served as this. In 1911 she was strongly modified, her superstructure was lowered, to give a smaller target. She received another search light, and the 7 cm guns were relocated into casemates.

Her only mission was the bombardment of Ancona in 1915. She shot at the train station, the St. Stefano camp and coastal batteries. After this glory victory she staid in port for the rest of the war. In 1918 she was re-commissioned as the training ship of the Naval Academy.

After the war she was handed over to the UK, and was scrapped in 1921 in Italy.

Ship history contributed by Alex Lakatos

Battleship Habsburg

Displacement:8,3400 tons.   Complement: ?.   Length: 354 ft.   Breadth: 65.5 ft.   Depth: 23 ft.   Armament: three 9.4 inch guns, twelve 6 inch guns, ten 12 pdr guns, 16 machine guns and two torpedo tubes.

Habsburg - Photo published 1915 - emailed in by John Gilman

?p?

Laid down: 10.06.1899.

Launched: 11.09.1901.

Commissioned: 15.06.1903.

In 1911 she was modified, like the Habsburg. Her superstructure was lowered, she received another search light, and her 7 cm guns were relocated.

Her only mission in the war was the bombardment of Ancona, where she targeted three barracks, the headquarters, the gasworks, and the water tower. After this, she staid in port for the rest of the war. In 1918 she was re-commissioned as the training ship of the Naval Academy. After the war she was handed over to the UK, and was scrapped in 1921 in Italy.

Ship history contributed by Alex Lakatos

Babenberg

Laid down: 19.01.1901.

Launched: 04.10.1902.

Commissioned: 15.04.1904.

Unlike her sister ships, she haven?t got modified 1911/1912.

Her only action was the bombardment of Ancona, where she shelled the electricity works. For the rest of the war, she staid in port. In 1918 she was re-commissioned as a barracks ship.

After the war she was handed over to the UK, and was scrapped 1921 in Italy.

Ship history contributed by Alex Lakatos