SMS Baden
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SMS Baden was a Bayern-class battleship launched in 1916. She was saved from scuttling in Scapa Flow by beaching and later sunk in extensive gunnery testing by the Royal Navy in 1921.
History
The Baden was one of four planned Bayern battleships, the other three were the Bayern, Wurttemberg and Sachsen.
The Baden was not originally intended to be surrended under the terms of the Armistice, but was substitued for the Mackensen which could not put to sea.
After the scuttling of the fleet at Scapa Flow, the Bayern was raised and scrapped, but the Baden was carefully examined by the British. It was exensively measured stripped and compared to existing British ships. The effects of various guns were tested on her. First of all the British 15" guns of the Erebus and Terror, two monitors, were fired into selected parts of the hull and superstructure. Various bombs were detonated on her decks and finally the battleships of the Atlantic fleet used their main guns on her and she sank southwest of Portsmouth on the 16th August 1921.
Notes
- The design of the Baden carried over into the Bismarck.
- The gunnery tests showed that had the British 15" shell been available at Jutland the German fleet would have suffered far more.