AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN TORPEDO SHIPS The following list contains all Austro-Hungarian TORPEDO SHIPS which were in commis- sion during the Great War. (Compiled by András Veperdi) ABBREVIATIONS Arsenal: Naval Shipyard, Pola Arsenal Lloyd: Austrian Lloyd Shipyard, Trieste CNT: Naval Docks Trieste, Monfalcone CNT Pola: In the year of 1916 the CNT was evacuated from Monfalcone to Pola, where the submarine building was continued. Da Bud: Ganz and Danubius AG, Budapest (formerly: H. Schönichen Shipyard) Da Fi: Ganz and Danubius Shipyard, Bergudi, Fiume Da PR: Ganz and Danubius Shipyard, Porto Ré (today: Krajlevica in Croatia) Lussinpiccolo: Marco U. Martinolich, Lussinpiccolo (today: Mali Losinj in Croatia) STT: Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste (Its name was Austria – Werft between the years of 1916 and 1918.) aa: anti-aircraft ihp: indicated horse power nm: nautical mile AC: alternating current IP: Intermediate Pressure oa: over all atm: atmosphere K: Austrian Crown pp: between perpendicular bhp: brake horse power kg: kilogram qf: quick firing (gun) cal: calibre km: kilometre Rpg: Rounds per guns’ barrels cl: class kts: knots rpm: revolution per minute cm: centimetre L: Barrel length in calibre sec: second constr: constructional LP: Low Pressure shp: Shaft horse power DC: direct current m: metre t: tonne(s) (metric tonne(s)) HP: High Pressure mm: millimetre wl: water line 1 SMS LUSSIN The old torpedo ship SMS LUSSIN was converted to naval yacht before 1914. SMS ZARA – guard vessel (ex – torpedo ship) 2 Laid down : Launched: Commissioned: 01/08/1878 13/11/1879 17/07/1882 Builder: Arsenal, Pola Sister ships: SPALATO, SEBENICO, the LUSSIN similar but bigger Displacement: 852.22 t (planned); (837.95 t after consumption all expandable materials) 943.67 t (full load) Length: 54.9 m (pp) / 55.80 m on upper deck / 62.71 m (oa) Beam: 8.22 m Draught: 4.01 m (constr) Change of Draught: 1 cm = 3.56 t Machinery: 2 two-cylinder horizontal HP steam engine 5 drum boilers, operating pressure: 7.03 atm (from 1899 3 loco- motive-type fire tube boilers, 6 atm) 2 propellers with 3 blades. Diameters: originally 2.74 m, later 3.048 m Bunkerage: 95.5 t coal. Later 180 t coal. Endurance: 750 nm at 11 kts Performance: 2,600ihp. In 1899: 707 ihp Speed: In 1881: 14.12 kts, (starboard engine at 230 rpm, portside engine 135 rpm) Max: 14.29 kts. In 1899 : 11.11 kts. Armament in 1880: 4 steel bronze guns, cal: 9 cm, on deck (2-2 on each side) 1 steel bronze gun, cal: 7cm/L30 on the quarterdeck, in the middle 2 guns, cal: 2.5 cm on the upper deck (1-1 on both side) 2 fixed 35 cm torpedo tubes above water line in the bows 1 – 35 cm torpedo tube on deck 41 carbines; 28 revolvers; 36 hangers Addition in 1887: 1 qf gun, cal: 4.7 cm on forecastle 4 qf guns, cal: 4.7 cm/L33 on superstructure deck 4 qf guns, cal: 4.7 cm/L33 on superstructure deck and quarterdeck 2 side 35 cm torpedo tubes in the fore twin-deck At the reconstruction Got 1 - 35 cm torpedo tube in the stern. in 1906: Armament from 1917: 2 guns, cal: 7 cm/L45 4 qf guns, cal: 4.7 cm/L44 4 qf guns, cal: 4.7 cm/L33 2 fixed 35 cm torpedo tubes above water line in the bows Protection: Deck: 38 mm steel armour Others: She was built from steel. 2 masts, made from a single tree, with gaffs. Sail surface: 275.6 m2. 1 steam cutter; 1 sailing barge IV cl; 1 sailing cutter II cl; 1 gigg III cl; 2 jollyboats; 1 small boat. 4 Admiralty-type anchors: 907.2 kg; 924 kg; 440 kg; 108 kg. From 1906: 2 searchlights with diameter 40 cm and 2 searchlights with diameter 60 cm. Characteristics: 2 schooner rigged masts. 1 smoke stack. Clipper bow. Complement: In 1880: 135 In 1887: 140 In 1907 on cadet training trip: 83. 3 Career : 12 /12/1877 The Emperor Franz Joseph I confirmed her name. 1 /08/1878 Her keel was laid down. This was the first Austrian warship what was built with use of Bessemer steel. 13 /11/1879 She was launched. The shipbuilding with steel proved good. In January of 1880 her main engines were built in. Her sea trial run was interrupted because the ship’s speed had not met the requirement. In April of 1881 carried out another sea trial run. Electric lighting was installed. 13/06 Her building was completed. She made the next sea trials with bigger screws and longer shafts, but on the trial carried out in November her speed improved only a minimal rate. 17 /07/1882 She was commissioned and carried out more experimental trips. 16/09 Carried out en exercise with five torpedo boats off Pola in presence of the Emperor. The performance of her main engines was well under the expectations. She was assigned to the VELEBICH Tor- pedo Training Ship as a tender. In 1883 her conning tower was heightened to provide better lookout. 16 /02/1884 She was assigned as a tender to the Torpedo School. In 1885 the triple torpedo tube was removed from her deck. In 1886 – 1887 she was reconstructed. Her inner configuration was altered; four 4.7 cm quick firing guns were mounted on her foredeck and one 4.7 cm quick firing gun was placed on her superstructure deck. Besides them she got four 4.7 cm/L33 quick firing guns to her super- structure and quarterdeck. Two side torpedo tubes were built into her forward twin-deck. Got two 40 cm diameter searchlights. Her whole machinery and boiler installation was reconstruc- ted. In 1888 was in reserve. In 1889 served in the Summer Squadron. Between 1890 and 1893 she was in reserve. From 1893 she served as the seagoing training ship of the ALPHA torpedo school ship. 3/03/ 1894 She gave assistance to Lloyd steamers Orion and Electra which collided off Porer and were stranded on shore. After pulling free Orion she went to Trieste, while the Electra was towed to Pola for docking. 1/04 Gave assistance to the British Cunard steamer Palmyra which ran aground at Fenera near to Pola. In 1895 – 1896 she was in reserve. In 1898 her original 5 drum boilers were replaced with 3 locomotive-type fire tube boilers; watertight bulkheads were built in. 14-26/08 Carried out sea trial runs. The performance of her main engines was 707 ihp, her speed 10.94 knots. In November she was transferred again to the Torpedo School. In 1900 was in reserve. In 1901 belonged to the Summer Squadron. In 1902 she was in reserve. From 1903 she served as training ship of the Torpedo School. In July 1906 her reconstruction to the training ship of the cadets of the Naval Officers‘ Academy was started. She got one more superstructure on quarterdeck to aft from the Frame No. 38. Davits were built in for the gigg and the jollyboat; got ventilators, Sellner-type signal facility, railings, lights and hatches. The searchlights of quarterdeck were replaced by 60 cm diameter searchlights. 2 new 4.7 cm quick firing guns were mounted and got one torpedo tube to the stern. Though she remained training ship of the Torpedo School, carried out training cruising with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy along the Dalmatian coasts. 4 In 1908 she carried out torpedo launching exercises and training trips. June – August she cruised with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy along the home shores. 1 /02 – 16/03/1909 Belonged to the Torpedo School. 15/06 Sailed with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy in company of SMS KAISER FRANZ JOSEF I for a train- ing cruise along the home shores. 20 /06/ - 17/08/1910 Cruised on waters of Dalmatia with the cadets of First Class of Naval Of- ficers’ Academy. In 1911 carried out exercises with the torpedo School. In May cruised with Officers’ Appren- tices. Between 15/06 and 20/08 cruised along the home shores with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy. In May 1912 cruised with Officers’ Apprentices. Between 18/06 and 20/08 cruised with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy. In 1913 she carried out exercises with the Torpedo School. Between 15/06 and 15/09 she cruised along the home shores with the cadets of First Class of Naval Officers’ Academy. From 14/10 served as tender of the Torpedo School. 21 /05 – 29/07/1914 Cruised with Officers’ Apprentices. 30/07 She was transferred to Cattaro where served as guard ship at Gjenovic. 26 /02/1917 One of her motorboats sunk, 2 men died. Later she was ordered to Pola for local guard duty. 30/05 Became training ship of the Officers’ Cadets. 18/06 Early morning sailed from the Cattaro-bay for Pola. At 12.55 hours off Ragusa, 1 mile to South from Lacroma there was a big explosion at the stem. She put in Ragusa with her own power, where she stranded her bow to the shore. 3 men were wounded in the explosion. 26/06 arrived at Pola. The inquiry revealed that one torpedo exploded in her tube, but fortunately did not activate the other torpedo. This torpedo was very old, 15 years and the explosion was caused by the chemical conversion of the explosive of the charge. She was repaired in July. Her armament was modified and served as training ship of the Officers’ Cadets.