German trawler V 804 Spica

For other ships with the same name, see Spica (disambiguation) § Naval vessels.

History
Name	Spica
Owner	Hochseefischerei Nordstern AG (1930–39, 1945–55) Kriegsmarine (1939–45)
Port of registry	Wesermünde, Germany (1930–33) Wesermünde, Germany (1933-39)   Kriegsmarine (1939–45) Wesermünde, Allied-occupied Germany (1945–49) Wesermünde, West Germany (1949–55)
Builder	Schiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser AG
Yard number	244
Launched	5 November 1930
Completed	2 December 1930
Commissioned	17 September 1939
Decommissioned	May 1945
Identification	Code Letter KRGN (1930–34) Fishing boat registration PG 404 (1930–39, 1945–48) Code Letters DFBS (1934–55) Pennant number V 214 (1939) Pennant number V 804 (1939–45) Fishing boat registration BX 383 (1948–55)
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Class & type	Fishing trawler (1930–39, 1945–55) Vorpostenboot (1939–45)
Tonnage	325  GRT, 123  NRT
Length	43.53 m (142 ft 10 in)
Beam	8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Depth	4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Installed power	Compound steam engine, 62 nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)

Spica was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a vorpostenboot , Serving as V 214 Spica and V 804 Spica. She returned to service as a fishing trawler post-war and was scrapped in 1955.

Description

Spica was 43.53 metres (142 ft 10 in) long, with a beam of 8.10 metres (26 ft 7 in).She had a depth of 4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in) and a draught of 3.77 metres (12 ft 4 in). ^[1] She was assessed at 325  GRT, 123  NRT. She was powered by a compound steam engine, which had two cylinders each of 31 centimetres (12+3⁄8 in) and 68 centimetres (26+3⁄4 in) diameter by 68 centimetres (26+3⁄4 in) stroke. The engine was built by Christiansen & Meyer, Harburg, Germany. It was rated at 62nhp. ^[2]

History

Spica was built as yard number 244 by Schiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser AG, Wesermünde, Germany. She was launched on 5 November 1930 and completed on 2 December. ^[1] She was built for the Hochseefischerei Nordstern AG, Wesermünde. The Code Letters KRGN were allocated, ^[2] as was the fishing boat registration PG 404. ^[3] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DFBS. ^[4]

On 17 September 1939, Spica was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot . She was allocated to 2 Vorpostenflotille as V 214 Spica. She was reallocated on 21 October to 8 Vorpostenflotille as V 804 Spica. ^[3]

Post-war she returned to merchant service with her pre-war owners. ^[5] The fishing boat registration BX 383 was allocated in 1948. She was scrapped in April 1955 by W. Ritscher, Hamburg, West Germany. ^[3]

References

1. Gröner 1993, p. 227.
2. "Spica(62312)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. S (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 7 June 2022– via Southampton City Council.
3. Gröner 1993, p. 231.
4. "Spica(66261)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. SPE-SPR (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 7 June 2022– via Southampton City Council.
5. "SPE-SPI Lloyd's Register 1948-49". Lloyd's Register, M-Z. London: Lloyd's Register. 1949.

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.