German trawler V 402 Dr. Adolf Spilker

History
Name	Dr. Adolf Spilker
Owner	F. Busse (1936–39) Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Port of registry	Wesermünde, Germany (1936–39)   Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Builder	Schiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser AG
Yard number	261
Launched	22 August 1936
Completed	22 September 1936
Commissioned	16 September 1939
Out of service	21 August 1944
Identification	Code Letters DFCN Fishing boat registration PG 506 (1936–39) Pennant Number V 401 (1939) Pennant Number V 402 (1939–44)
Fate	Scuttled
General characteristics
Tonnage	428  GRT, 159  NRT
Length	54.56 m (179 ft 0 in)
Beam	8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Depth	4.35 m (14 ft 3 in)
Installed power	Compound steam engine, 70nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller

Dr. Adolf Spilker was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot , serving as V 401 Dr. Adolf Spilker and V 402 Dr. Adolf Spilker. She was scuttled at Bayonne, France in August 1944.

Description

Dr. Adolf Spilker was 54.56 metres (179 ft 0 in) long, with a beam of 8.10 metres (26 ft 7 in). She had a depth of 4.35 metres (14 ft 3 in) and a draught of 3.77 metres (12 ft 4 in). ^[1] She was assessed at 435  GRT, 168  NRT. The ship was powered by a compound steam engine which had two cylinders each of 33 centimetres (13 in) and two cylinders each of 72 centimetres (28+3⁄8 in) diameter by 70 centimetres (27+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was built by Christiansen & Meyer, Harburg, Germany and was rated at 70nhp. It drove a single screw propeller. ^[2]

History

Dr. Adolf Spilker was built as yard number 261 by Schiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser AG, Wesermünde, Germany. ^[1] She was launched on 22 August 1936 and completed on 22 September. ^[3] She was built for F. Busse, Wesermünde. The Code Letters DFCN were allocated, ^[2] as was the fishing boat registration PG 502. ^[3]

On 16 September 1939, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine and commissioned with 4 Vorpostenflotille as the Vorpostenboot V 401 Dr. Adolf Spilker. On 16 October 1944, she was redesignated V 402 Dr. Adolf Spilker. ^[3] She was scuttled as a blockship at Bayonne, Basses-Pyrénées, France on 20 August 1944. ^[4]

References

1. Gröner 1993, p. 227.
2. "Dr. Adolf Spilker(07103)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. DIS-DOL (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1937–1938. Retrieved 20 November 2022– via Southampton City Council.
3. Gröner 1993, p. 232.
4. Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, August". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 20 November 2022.

Sources

• Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN   3-7637-4807-5.