SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

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marcelo_malara
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SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by marcelo_malara »

Hi guys. Looking to images and plans of this German BC, I realized it has a forecastle two decks high, I pointed a red arrow to each of these decks:

-from bow to stern, the first is the upper forecastle deck, which goes from the stem to the end of the superstructure

-follows the lower forecastle deck, which goes to X turret

-finally the upper deck, from X turret to the stern


I believe that the lower forecastle deck was actually the upper deck, and that aft of turret X the hull was lowered by one deck (as was similarly done in Kent class) to allow an Y turret without a high barbette for X turret.



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HMSVF
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Re: SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by HMSVF »

So Moltke was a single storey forecastle?
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marcelo_malara
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Re: SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by marcelo_malara »

HMSVF wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:16 pm So Moltke was a single storey forecastle?
Yes!
HMSVF
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Re: SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by HMSVF »

I've always assumed that Seydlitz was altered for better seakeeping. Having said that I've never read anywhere that Moltke had a problem. Or was it just a "one off" experiment? Luitzow,Derflingger and Hindenburg which followed were never blessed with a large freeboard so I wonder why Seydlitz appears as a bit of a "one off"?
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marcelo_malara
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Re: SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by marcelo_malara »

May be that Seydlitz bow is normally high bur her stern is low?
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Re: SMS Seydlitz - two deck forecastle?

Post by Byron Angel »

HMSVF wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:47 pm I've always assumed that Seydlitz was altered for better seakeeping. Having said that I've never read anywhere that Moltke had a problem. Or was it just a "one off" experiment? Luitzow,Derflingger and Hindenburg which followed were never blessed with a large freeboard so I wonder why Seydlitz appears as a bit of a "one off"?
Best bet is to get hold of a copy of "German Battlecruisers of World War One" by Gary Staff (RIP). The book excellentlt detailed longitudinal cross-sectional plans (among other diagrams). FWIW, Staff wrote that Seydlitz was considered a good sea boat.

Byron
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