ruction ▁▁ ▁, ▁the ▁first ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁class , ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁at ▁the ▁AG ▁V ul can ▁ship yard ▁in ▁St ett in ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁under ▁construction ▁number ▁ 7 4 . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁July ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁and ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁fleet ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁October ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁AG ▁V ul can ▁also ▁built ▁, ▁which ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁under ▁construction ▁number ▁ 7 8 . ▁She ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 9 ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁and ▁commission ed ▁for ▁service ▁on ▁ 9 ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁▁ ▁was ▁actually ▁the ▁first ▁ship ▁to ▁be ▁laid ▁down ; ▁work ▁on ▁her ▁ke el ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁at ▁the ▁Imperial ▁D ock yard ▁in ▁K iel , ▁under ▁construction ▁number ▁ 3 . ▁She ▁was ▁not ▁launched ▁until ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁nearly ▁one ▁year ▁after ▁her ▁sister ▁Sachsen . ▁She ▁was ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 4 ▁August ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁rendering ▁her ▁the ▁third ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁class ▁to ▁enter ▁service . ▁ ▁was ▁the ▁fourth ▁and ▁final ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁class ; ▁she ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁at ▁the ▁Imperial ▁D ock yard ▁in ▁K iel ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁She ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 0