KuK Project VII Heavy Cruiser Design

The experience of WW1 quckly show that any cruiser calibre under 15cm was not strong enough to fight 15cm or 6" armed cruisers, no matter how quickly they could fire. The range and penetration power of this calibre basically made all smaller calibres obsolete and hence to fight such an armed vessel requires a similarly or preferably a heavier armed vessel. There were plans to modify the 1914 cruiser designs the Ersatz Zentas to equip 19cm (7,5") guns and thick belt armour to counter the mentioned cruisers, but various circumstances I've described earlier prevented they cruisers or their modified plans to be laid down. It is discovered that the hulls and size of the Ersatz Zenta wasn't optimal for such improvement and these plans of 1915 was not followed. Later, in 1917 Franz Pitzinger offered a cruiser design for the MTK (Marinetechnische Komitee - Naval Technical Committee). The Committee accepted the proposal and a design based on it finally approved August 1. of 1918.
The design resembled the German Battlecruiser Von der Tann somewhat with 3 turrets where the2nd turret was located between the two funnels. Boat handling equipment located around the second funnel, while AA guns around the Turbine space.

Coincidentally the design emerged shortly after the British Hawkins class cruisers were launched and the Emerald class light cruisers under construction, it is logical to think that the two navies designers concluded the same experience from war lessons. The Austro-Hungarian design was faster and more heavily armoured which could withstand 19 and 15cm projectiles easily, while the Project VII carried one less gun compared to the Hawkins these 6 guns were mounted in 3 twin turrets providing a much better fire rate, fire control and protection for the gun and their crew. Overall the USN's Omahas would be no match against her, the Hawkins would had to fight for it's money and would be worthy opponent against the Japanese Furutakas and Aobas.

The designs had the following characteristics:
Dimensions: 184,5 (wl) x 18,2 x 6,45m
Displacement: 10.000tons (standard), 12.000tons (full load)
Armour: 30mm Deck, 150mm Belt
Engines: 90.000shp Ganz-Danubius Steam Turbines, 4 shafts
Speed: 59-61km/h (32-33knots)
Range: 12.900km at 37km/h (7.000nm at 20knots)
Armaments:
3x2 19cm/45 Skoda K18 Guns
4x1 9cm/45 (88mm) Skoda K14 AA Guns
2x1 53cm Underwater Torpedo tubes

Compared to the Hawkins:
Dimensions: 184,4 (oa) x 19,8 x 5,9m
Displacement: 9.750tons (standard), 12.300tons (full load)
Armour: 38mm Deck, 76mm Belt
Engines: 60.000shp Brown-Curtis Steam Turbines, 4 shafts
Speed: 56km/h (30knots)
Range: 10.000km at 26km/h (5.400nm at 14knots)
Armaments:
7x1 7,5"/45 (190mm) BL Mark VI Guns
6x1 3"/50 (76mm) QF Mark I Guns
4x1 3"/45 (76mm) QF Mark I AA Guns
2x1 53cm Above Water and 4x1 Underwater Torpedo tubes

Original Drawing:
http://i.imgur.com/fLPTQ6y.png

This was the last cruiser proposal of the Austro-Hungarian Navy no further development was done because the war ended shortly after.