Eyckenbaum-class Battleship

### Armament

3x2 Modell 24 Fd. 25 Guns, 6x2 Modell 25 Fd. 8.25 Guns, 6x2 Modell 26 Fd. 5.5 Guns, 18x2 Modell 20 Fd. 1.4 Gun

### Aviation Facilities

catapult, hangar

The **Eyckenbaum-class Battleships** are true behemoths of the in service with the Imperial Navy of Auwalt since 1928, the lead ship *SIM Eyckenbaum* being the flagship of the entire Navy.

## Design

### Propulsion

Powered by eightteen oil-fired water-tube boilers powering four turbine sets and four shafts with a mean power output of 125,000 shaft horse power, the Eyckenbaum-class Battleships can attain a maximum speed of 25 knots, their cruise speed being at 16 knots.

### Armament

The Main battery of the Eyckenbaum-class Battleships consists of three double turrets with Modell 24 Fd. 25 Guns (45.5 cm). One of these guns weights 147 tons (the turrets clock in at well over 1,500 tons). This gun can effectively lug an armour-piercing shell of 1.3 tons over a distance of 30 kilometers. Despite that, however, the Fd. 25 guns are considered more of a step down from the previous Modell 22 Fd. 22 Guns (40cm guns) of the Imperatrix Gundel class Battleships, mainly due to the larger guns requiring larger shells (and thus longer loading times), shorter lifespan of the barrel and less broadside weight (six 46cm guns versus nine 40cm guns on the *Imperatrix Gundel*), while, at the same time, suffering from about similar deck penetrating capability. It is expected, that, during their first refit, the Eyckenbaum-class Battleships will be reequipped with 40cm triple gun turrets.

The secondary battery consists of 6x2 Modell 25 Fd. 8.25 Guns (15cm), 6x2 Modell 26 Fd. 5.5 Guns (10cm, dual purpose mount)

The Eyckenbaum-class Battleships have a limited suite of anti-air guns, namely 18x2 Modell 20 Fd. 1.4 Gun (2.55 cm).

#### Rocket Batteries

The Eyckenbaum-class Battleships are equipped with eight rocket batteries,

### Armour

The Eyckenbaum-class Battleships are among the most heavily armoured warships in the world, with a side armour of 410 millimetres and a deck armour between 200 and 230 millimeters. The enourmous weight of the main gun turrets also stems from the front-face armour of 650 mm.

The armoured citadels armour is up to 355 mm thick, providing an almost inpenetrable obstacle for any enemy and his shells.

A sideways curving effect maximizes the protection and saves weight, as well as structural rigidity. Main material of the armour is a nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy. Arc welding was used for much of the ships' construction.

Should all of that fail, however, the Eyckenbaum-class is constructed with absurd amounts of reserve buoyancy in mind to allow for lengthy battleship to battleship engagements.

## Service History

### Construction

Design work started in

The keel of *SIM Eyckenbaum* was laid down in 1924, with the vessel being launched in 1927, commissioned in 1928.

A total of eight units, forming the Battle Squadrons 1 and 2 of three Eyckenbaum-class Battleships, plus two reserve vessels, are planned.

### Vessels in the class

* *SIM Eyckenbaum*.
* *SIM Bierke*.
* *SIM Tanna*.
* *SIM Fiecte*.
* *SIM Kayfer* (cancelled).
* *SIM Lacche* (cancelled).
* *SIM Eybenstamm* (cancelled).
* *SIM Tenny* (cancelled).

All of them are named after trees.

**Ships**

Battleships: Kayfer-class Fast Battleship, **Eyckenbaum-class Battleship**, Imperatrix Gundel class Battleship, Bucks-class Fast Battleship
Battlecruisers/"The heavy cavalry of the Fleet": Feuerreiter-class Battlecruiser, Tauläufer-class Battlecruiser, Furtenland-class Battlecruiser (decommissioned)
Aircraft Carriers: Feuerbergadler-class Aircraft Carrier (to be commissioned 1941-1944), Tiefbucht-class Light Aircraft Carrier (to be commissioned 1942-1945), Waldschatten-class Aircraft Carrier, Early Aircraft Carriers of the Imperial Navy

**Boats**

Cruisers/"The light cavalry of the Fleet": Prinz-class Cruiser, Prinzessin-class Cruiser, Stadt-class Scout Cruiser
Destroyers: Zerstörer 1935 (Z-211 to Z-240, 30 units), Zerstörer 1925 (Z-151 to Z-210, 60 units), Einheitszerstörer a.k.a. Zerstörer 1918 (Z-121 to Z-150, 30 units) and Zerstörer 1915 (Z-113 to Z-130, 18 units), Zerstörer 1910 (42 units, decommissioned, awaiting scrapping)
Frigates/Flottenbegleiter: Flottenbegleiter 1928
Torpedo Boats: Torpedoboot 1922
**Supply and Support Vessels**

Other: SIM Kloster Garremach (training ship), Unterstützungsboot 1917 (support boat)

**Other Equipment**

**Battleship Artillery:** Modell 24 Fd. 25 Gun (45.5 cm gun), Modell 22 Fd. 22 Gun (40 cm gun)
Fd. 19.5 Guns (35.5 cm guns): Modell 18 Fd. 19.5 Gun, Modell 28 Fd. 19.5 Gun
**Cruiser Artillery:** Modell 25 Fd. 8.25 Gun (15 cm gun)
Fd. 11 Guns (20 cm guns): Modell 10 Fd. 11 Gun, Modell 15 Fd. 11 Gun, Modell 21 Fd. 11 Gun, Modell 28 Fd. 11 Gun
**Destroyer Artillery:**
Fd. 5.5 Guns (10 cm guns): Modell 11 Fd. 5.5 Gun, Modell 18 Fd. 5.5 Gun, Modell 26 Fd. 5.5 Gun (dual purpose mount)
For destroyers with delusions of grandeur: Modell 25 Fd. 8.25 Gun
Anti-Aircraft Artillery: Modell 31 Fd. 2 Gun (36 mm AA-gun), Modell 20 Fd. 1.4 Gun (2.55 cm AA-gun), Modell 26 Fd. 5.5 Gun (10 cm gun, dual purpose mount)
Torpedoes: Fd. 24.7 Aerial Torpedo (450 mm torpedo), Fd. 33.5 Torpedo (610 mm torpedo)
Rockets: Rockets of the Imperial Navy
Mines: Naval mines of the Imperial Navy
Aircraft: List of Aircraft in service with the Imperial Armed Forces
Radar: *Present and accounted for*
Sonar: *Present and accounted for*

Also see: Women in the Imperial Armed Forces, Doctrine of the Imperial Navy, Structure of the Imperial Navy in 1930, Structure of the Imperial Navy in 1940, Marine-Schützen-Korps, Imperatorwerften Wahlerhaven.
Competitors: Shipclasses and equipment of the Sultan's Navy, Structure of the SDF-Navy in 1942, Structure of the Lutetiian Navy in 1942
Project 1940: Structure of the SDF-Navy in 1942, Structure of the Sultan's Navy in 1940, Structure of the Armed Forces of the Principality in 1940, Structure of the Lutetiian Navy in 1942, Structure of the Armed Forces of the Empire of Kupandukira in 1940