German Baden Battleship, 1916

Battleship model kits: SMS Baden, 1916, scale 1/700

SMS Baden was a Bayern class dreadnought battleship of the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy) built during World War I. Launched in October 1915 and completed in March 1917, she was the last battleship completed by the Kaiserliche Marine; two of her sisters—Sachsen and Wurttemberg—were incomplete when the war ended. The ship mounted eight 38 centimeters (15 in) guns in four twin turrets, displaced 32,200 metric tons at full combat load, and had a top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)

Upon commissioning into the High Seas Fleet, Baden was made the fleet flagship, replacing Friedrich der Grosse in the post. Baden saw little action during her short career; the only major sortie in April 1918 ended without any combat. Following the German collapse in November 1918, Baden was interned with the majority of the High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow by the British Royal Navy. On 21 June 1919, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered his ships be scuttled. 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.