Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 26, 2011

SMS Baden was a Bayern class dreadnought battleship built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. Launched in October 1915 and completed in March 1917, she was the last battleship completed for use in the war. The ship mounted eight 38 cm guns in four twin turrets, displaced 32200 MT at full combat load, and had a top speed of 21 kn. Along with her sister, SMS Bayern (1915), Baden was the largest and most powerfully armed German battleship. On being commissioned into the High Seas Fleet, Baden replaced SMS Friedrich der Grosse (1911) as the fleet flagship. Baden saw little action during her short career; the only major sortie in April 1918 ended without combat. Following the German collapse in November 1918, Baden was interned with most of the High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow by the British Royal Navy. On 21 June 1919, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the scuttling of the fleet. However, British sailors in the harbor managed to board Baden and beach her to prevent her sinking. The ship was re-floated, thoroughly examined, and eventually sunk in extensive gunnery testing by the Royal Navy in 1921. (more...)

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