Viribus Unitis and Tegetthof were laid down in July 1910 when the funds, against all odds had been refused for political reasons. The holds of STT had just been freed with the launching of the first two Radetzky, also at the same time to avoid a technical unemployment of the workmen and to save time, admiral Montecucoli ordered the yard to start the construction of the first two units in 1910 without waiting for the vote. In June 1909, the construction of the first Italian dreadnought was started, while the funds allocated to the construction of Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts were not even discussed yet (the approval was to be voted in November). But Montecuccoli finally choose to study a clean design, largely influenced by the Italians, neighbors and rivals. At the same time, the German allies, by special permission of the Emperor, unveiled to the Austro-Hungarian Admiralty the plans of their Kaiser class then in anticipation. Laid down at creditĪs a result the admiralty ordered a new study. But at that moment, the Italians made known their own plans for Dante Alighieri, and their choice of triple turrets. In March 1909, STT issued a selection of 5 designs, all with double turrets. In October 1908, the Naval Office of the Admiralty offered an award to the architects and engineers of the empire, planning 6 months to study carefully the plans thus collected. The decisive factor to motivate the parliament in this direction was the launch by the Italians of Dante Alighieri and the construction of four other units. While the Radetzky (photo above), excellent classic battleships, were started, she decided to plan for a dreadnought as a new standard: On February 20, 1908, Admiral Monteccucoli already affirmed the necessity to develop new battleships of more than 18 000 tons. Well armed despite limited dimensions they were formidable adversaries for the Italian Ships but stayed mostly inactive at Pola for the duration of the war, until a 1918 ill-fated sortie which saw Szent Istvan sunk by Italian MAS-boats, while another was sunk at anchor by frogmen. The class was named after Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, National hero after the battle of Lissa.įour ships were built, completed just when the war started or soon after. They succeeded to the Radetzky, arguably ones of the finest pre-dreadnoughts ever built, laid down and started without approval of the parliament. In 1908, the Admiralty was aware of its backwardness on foreign navies, all of which had followed Great Britain in the race towards all-big guns fast battleships of the next generation. The Tegetthof was also by far the most impressive and the most famous battleship class of the small Austro-Hungarian Navy. Tegetthoff, Viribus Unitis, Prinz Eugen, Szent Istvan (1911)įirst Dreadnoughts and last Austro-Hungarian battleships: SMS Tegetthoff at anchor
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