A-class torpedo boat

Last updated
SMS A 68.jpg
SMS A 68
Class overview
Operators
Built1914–1918
In service1914–1950
Planned113
Completed92
Cancelled21
Lost30

The A-class torpedo boats were a class of German single-funnelled torpedo boat/light destroyer designed by the Reichsmarineamt for operations off the coast of occupied Flanders in the First World War. The "A" designation was to avoid confusion with older classes and designs. They were classed officially as "coastal torpedo boats" (German: Küstentorpedoboote) to differentiate from larger, ocean-going torpedo boats.

Contents

Six groups of vessels were built under the class between 1914 and 1918, increasing in displacement from 109 tons to 335 tons. All had a raised forecastle, shallow draught, and carried one (for most) or two (for A1-A25) 17.7 in (45 cm) torpedo tubes amidships.

A-I type (A1 – A25)

General characteristics (A1 to A25)
Displacement109 t (107 long tons) [1]
Length41 m (134 ft 6 in) wl [1]
Beam4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) [1]
Draught1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) [1]
Installed powerCoal-fired, single-shaft, triple-expansion steam engine, 1,200 ihp (895 kW) [1]
Propulsion
  • 1 shaft
  • 1 × 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) propeller
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) [1]
Range900 nautical miles (1,700 km; 1,000 mi) at 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) [1]
Complement28 [2]
Armament

All 25 were ordered in 1914, and were designed and built by A.G. 'Vulcan', at their Hamburg yard.

NameYard No.LaunchedCommissionedFate
A12016 January 191529 January 1915
A22117 March 191523 March 1915
A32224 June 191513 July 1915
A42326 June 191530 June 1915
A5245 May 191510 May 1915
A6253 April 19158 April 1915
A7262 February 191519 April 1915
A82725 April 191521 May 1915
A9284 August 19156 August 1915
A102916 August 191523 August 1915
A11304 June 19157 June 1915
A123128 April 19152 May 1915
A133215 May 191521 May 1915
A143322 July 191527 July 1915
A153410 July 191515 July 1915
A163516 June 191519 June 1915
A17368 June 19156 July 1915
A18372 July 191520 July 1915
A19389 September 191515 October 1915
A203927 August 19151 September 1915
A21401 June 191529 June 1915
A224122 May 19158 June 1915
A23425 May 191529 May 1915
A244312 June 19156 August 1915
A254413 July 191527 July 1915

A-II type (A26 – A55)

General characteristics (A26 to A55)
Displacement227–229 t (223–225 long tons) [4]
Length49 m (160 ft 9 in) LWL [4]
Beam5.32–5.62 m (17 ft 5 in – 18 ft 5 in) [4]
Draught2.34 m (7 ft 8 in) [4]
Installed powerOil-fired, single-shaft, geared turbine steam engine, 3,250 hp (2,424 kW)
Propulsion
  • 1 × shafts
  • 1 × 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) [4]
Range690 nautical miles (1,280 km; 790 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) [4]
Complement29 [4]
Armament

All 30 were ordered in two batches - 24 vessels in 1915, and 6 added later. All were designed and built by F. Schichau Werke, at their Elbing yard. The second batch were 2 tonnes heavier, and had a breadth of 5.82 metres (18ft 5.25in).

NameYard No.LaunchedCommissionedFate
A2695920 May 191622 July 1916
A2796027 May 191612 August 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A2896110 June 191626 August 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A2996215 June 19169 September 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A3096315 July 191628 September 1916
A319641 July 191630 September 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A3296515 July 191614 October 1916
A3396629 July 191630 October 1916Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A3496720 July 19168 November 1916Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A3596819 August 19161 December 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A3696914 August 191627 November 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A3797012 August 191624 November 1916Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A3897117 October 191614 March 1917Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A3997212 September 191616 December 1916Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A409732 September 19168 December 1916
A419748 December 191616 March 1917Surrendered on 20 August 1920.
A429751 November 19165 January 1917
A4397625 December 19162 April 2017
A4497710 March 191730 April 1917Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A459788 November 191615 June 1917Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A4697924 March 191722 May 1917
A4798023 April 201722 June 1917
A489819 June 191731 July 1917
A4998219 May 191720 August 1917
A509888 July 191720 August 1917
A5198916 May 191726 July 1917Scuttled at Fiume on 29 October 1918.
A5299018 January 19171 April 1917
A539913 February 19177 April 1917
A5499222 February 191714 April 1917
A5599310 March 191727 April 1917

A-III type - A. G. Vulcan design (A56 – A67, A80 – A91, and A96 – A113)

General characteristics (A56 to A67)
(A80 to A91) and (A96 to A113)
Displacement330–335 t (325–330 long tons) [7]
Length59.3–60.12 m (194 ft 7 in – 197 ft 3 in) LWL [7]
Beam6.42 m (21 ft 1 in) [7]
Draught2.21–2.34 m (7 ft 3 in – 7 ft 8 in) [7]
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW) [7]
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) propeller [7]
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) [7]
Range800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) [7]
Complement50 [7]
Armament

These 42 vessels were ordered in three batches - A56 to A67 in 1916, A80 to A91 in 1917, and A96 – A113 in 1918. Designed by A. G. Vulcan, who built all of them except for A83, A84 and A85, which were built by Howaldtswerke at Kiel, while the hulls of A64 to A67 were subcontracted to Seebeckwerft. None of the 1918 batch of 18 vessels were ever completed, and they were all stricken on 3 November 1918, some being up to 35% complete (these were broken up on the stocks) but none being launched.

NameYard No.LaunchedCommissionedFate
A5647628 February 191714 April 1917Sunk by mine on 12 March 1918.
A5747728 February 191728 April 1917Sunk by mine on 1 March 1918.
A5847831 March 191719 May 1917Sunk by mine on 16 August 1918.
A5947913 April 19179 June 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A6048015 May 191723 June 1917Sunk by mine on 23 June 1917.
A6148115 May 191711 July 1917Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A624828 June 191725 July 1917Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A6348316 June 191711 August 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A6448430 March 19188 August 1918Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A6548530 March 191824 August 1918Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A6648623 June 191820 September 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A6748723 June 1918not completedStricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919.
A8051424 October 191721 December 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A8151527 November 191710 January 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A8251627 March 19181 June 1918Scuttlked at Fiume on 29 October 1918.
A8361418 May 191828 May 1918Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919.
A8461518 May 191819 April 1918Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919
A8561618 May 19186 June 1918Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919
A865355 February 191816 March 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A8753621 February 19188 April 1918Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A885372 March 191827 April 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A8953822 March 191814 May 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A905396 April 19186 June 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A9154027 April 191822 June 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A96
- A113		575
- 592		none launchedStricken on
3 November 1918

A-III type - Schichau 1916 design (A68 – A79)

General characteristics (A68 to A79)
Displacement330 t (325 long tons) [7]
Length60.2 m (197 ft 6 in) LWL
Beam6.41 m (21 ft 0 in) [7]
Draught2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) [7]
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 5,700 shp (4,250 kW) [7]
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) [7]
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) [7]
Range800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) [7]
Complement50 [7]
Armament

These twelve vessels were ordered in 1916, and were designed and built by F. Schichau at Elbing.

NameYard No.LaunchedCommissionedFate
A6899411 April 191713 June 1917Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A6999528 April 19174 July 1917Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A7099619 May 191723 July 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A719979 June 191713 August 1917Sunk by mine on 4 May 1918.
A7299830 June 19171 September 1917Sunk by mine on 14 May 1918.
A739997 July 191721 September 1917Sunk by mine on 20 January 1918.
A7410004 August 19179 October 1917Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A75100111 August 191726 October 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A7610021 September 191712 November 1917Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A77100322 September 191727 November 1917Sunk by mine on 20 January 1918.
A78100413 October 191715 December 1917Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A7910058 November 191712 January 1918Sunk by mine on 10 July 1918.

A-III type - Schichau 1917 design (A92 – A95) ==

General characteristics (A92 to A95)
identical to A68 to A79 batch except:
Length59.4 m (194 ft 11 in) wl [7]
Draught2.08–2.12 m (6 ft 10 in – 6 ft 11 in) [7]
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 5,700–6,000 shp (4,250–4,474 kW) [7]
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers [7]
Speed26.5 knots (49.1 km/h; 30.5 mph) [7]

These last four vessels were designed and built by F. Schichau Werke, at their Elbing yard, with a slight variation in their dimensions from the 1916 design. The first two served in a minesweeper flotilla and the last two in an escort flotilla prior to the surrender.

NameYard No.LaunchedCommissionedFate
A92101916 March 191824 May 1918Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A9310209 April 191818 June 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A94102127 April 191819 July 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A95102225 May 191819 August 1918Surrendered on 30 September 1920.


Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gröner 1983, p. 35.
  2. 1 2 Gröner 1983, p. 36.
  3. 1 2 3 Dodson 2019, p. 136.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gröner 1983, p. 37.
  5. ↑ "Sulev". hot.ee (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  6. ↑ Архив фотографий кораблей русского и советского ВМФ [Photo Archive of the Russian and Soviet Navy]. navsource.narod.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Gröner 1983, p. 38.
  8. ↑ Buxton, Ian (2008) [First published 1978]. Big gun monitors : design, construction and operations 1914-1945 (2nd Revised ed.). Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword. c. 8.4 para. 7. ISBN   978-1-84415-719-8.
  9. 1 2 Dodson 2019, pp. 134, 142–143.
  10. 1 2 Dodson 2019, pp. 134–135, 142–143.

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SMS <i>S143</i>

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References

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