The Tegetthoff class (sometimes called the Viribus Unitis class) was the sole class of dreadnought battleship built for the Austro-Hungarian navy. Four ships were built; SMS Viribus Unitis, SMS Tegetthoff, SMS Prinz Eugen with SMS Szent Istvan following later in the war.
The Austrian government ordered the construction of a new fleet in 1908 following the announcement of the start of construction of first dreadnought for the Regia Marina (the Italian navy): the RN Dante Alighieri. The chief designer of the Austro-Hungarian navy, Siegfried Popper, was nearly blind at this stage (he was retired before the ships were launched), and some have blamed this for design deficiencies of the class of ships.
The ships of this class were among the first ships to utilise triple gun turrets for its main armament, the first one being the Italian battleship Dante Alighieri whom the Austrian ships were supposed to act against in a war; as for the Italian ship, this choice made it possible to deliver a heavier broadside than other dreadnoughts of a similar size. The triple turret was built at the Škoda Works, in Plzeň, Bohemia, and was available at short notice because Škoda were already working on a design for an order for the Russian navy
The colours have become a bit washed out in the photos (the sea especially looking a bit grey/purple) but I am still chuffed by them! Especially so considering their size.
And the fleet flagship in close up:
What do ya think?
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