Etching of SMS Albatross by H.Penner
History
German Empire
Name	SMS Albatross
Namesake	albatross
Builder	Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Launched	11 March 1871
Commissioned	23 December 1871
Stricken	9 January 1899
Fate	foundered in storm, March 1906
General characteristics
Displacement	786 tonnes (774 long tons)
Length	56.95 metres (186 ft 10 in) o/a
Beam	8.32 metres (27 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.62–3.75 metres (11 ft 11 in – 12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 steam engines with 491 indicated horsepower (366 kW)
Sail plan	710 square metres (7,600 sq ft)
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)
Range	1,270 nautical miles (2,350 km; 1,460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	5 officers, 98 men
Armament	2 built-up guns 15 L/22 2 built-up guns 12 L/33

SMS Albatross was a gunboat of the Imperial German Navy launched and commissioned in 1871. SMS Nautilus soon followed as her sister ship. She served as a gunboat overseas until she became a survey vessel in 1888. Struck from the list on 9 January 1899, she was sold and used as a collier until she foundered in a storm in March 1906.

Albatross sometime in the 1880s

References

• Erich Gröner, Panzerschiffe, Linienschiffe, Schlachtschiffe, Flugzeugträger, Kreuzer, Kanonenboote = Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe, 1815-1945 Vol.I, Bernard & Graefe, 1982, ISBN 3-7637-4800-8, p. 162

Further reading

• Nottlemann, Dirk (2022). "The Development of the Small Cruiser in the Imperial German Navy, Part III: The Gunboats". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2022. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 63–79. ISBN 978-1-4728-4781-2.