SCHLACHTSCHIFFE

With main gun bore size among the Allies reportedly increasing to 13.5" and 14", the decision was made (before finding out the British had adopted the 15" for the Queen Elizabeth-class super-dreadnoughts) to adopt a 380mm (15") gun on the next class of battleships. Taking the general plan and all-centerline gun layout of the König-class, the Bayern-class was approved for construction in 1913. Mounting eight of the new 380m guns in four turrets, all on the centerline in superimposed dual mounts, with two slim funnels and tall masts, they were beautifully balanced ships with great maneuverability.

Bayern was still undergoing trials when the Battle of Jutland occurred in May-June, 1916, but she was available for the next major event, Operation Albion. There she struck a mine that flooded the forward beam torpedo room and withdrew to a local port, where she was given a poorly contructed cofferdam that failed during her transit back to Germany. Based on inaccurate evaluations of the damage briefed to the Kaiser, he made the decision to have the forward beam torpedo tubes removed from both vessels.

Baden was designated the Fleet Flagship in March, 1917, and orginally was not among those ships scheduled to be interned at Scapa Flow. Unfortunately the Allies thought the battlecruiser Mackensen had been completed, and once they found she hadn't, Baden was substituted and arrived at Scapa Flow December 14, 1918. Both ships were scuttled on June 21, 1919, but while Bayern turned-turtle and sank, the British were able to tow Baden to shore where she settled in shallow water. Raised a month later, she was used for various armor experiments and eventually sunk by gunfire in 1921.

The last two ships, Württemberg and Sachsen, were to be slightly larger and faster versions, but they were never completed and their incomplete hulls scrapped in the early 1920's.

NOTE: Even though they both had twin 15" turrets, three propeller shafts and twin rudders, the Bayern design did not serve as the prototype for the World War II DKM Bismarck-class.