Type 41 torpedo boat

Last updated

Class overview
NameType 41
Builders Schichau, Elbing
OperatorsWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine
Preceded by Type 40 torpedo boat
Succeeded by Type 44 torpedo boat
Built1943–1945
Planned15
Completed0
Cancelled1
General characteristics
Type Torpedo boat
Displacement
Length106 m (347 ft 9 in) o/a
Beam10.7 m (35 ft 1 in)
Draft3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range2,800  nmi (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement210
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

The Type 1941 torpedo boats were a group of 15 torpedo boats that were built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Ordered in late 1942, none of the ships were finished before the German surrender on 8/9 May 1945, although four of the ships had been towed west to be completed earlier in that year. They were all either scuttled or demolished in the shipyard in 1945–1946.

Contents

Background and design

The start of World War II in September 1939 caused the cancellation of most of the planned Type 39 torpedo boats and only 15 ships were ordered. Shortages of labor and materials seriously hampered their construction so that the Kriegsmarine did not consider improvements until 1941. It decided upon a slightly enlarged version of the Type 39 with more powerful propulsion machinery to give the ships a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) and space for an additional twin-gun 3.7-centimeter (1.5 in) anti-aircraft mount. [1]

The ships had an overall length of 106 meters (347 ft 9 in) and were 102 meters (334 ft 8 in) long at the waterline. They had a beam of 10.7 meters (35 ft 1 in), and a maximum draft of 3.72 meters (12 ft 2 in) at deep load. The Type 41s displaced 1,493 long tons (1,517  t ) at standard load and 2,155 long tons (2,190 t) at deep load. Their hull was divided into 13 watertight compartments and it was fitted with a double bottom that covered 69% of their length. [2] Their crew numbered 210 officers and sailors. [3]

The Type 41 ships had two sets of Wagner geared steam turbines, each driving a single three-bladed 2.65-meter (8 ft 8 in) propeller, [2] using steam provided by four Wagner water-tube boilers that operated at a pressure of 70  kg/cm2 (6,865  kPa ; 996  psi ) and a temperature of 460 °C (860 °F). The turbines were designed to produce 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000  kW ) for a speed of 34 knots. The ships carried a maximum of 559 metric tons (550 long tons) of fuel oil which gave a range of 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). [4]

Armament and sensors

The main armament of the Type 41 class consisted four 42-caliber 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 [Note 1] guns in single mounts; one forward of the superstructure, one between the funnels, and two aft, one superfiring over the other. [5] Its mount had a range of elevation from -10° to +70° and the gun fired 15.1-kilogram (33 lb) projectiles at a muzzle velocity of 785 m/s (2,580 ft/s). It had a range of 15,175 meters (16,596 yd) at an elevation of +44.4°. [6]

Anti-aircraft defense was provided by three twin 80-caliber 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts; two of these positioned on a platform abaft the rear funnel and another was in front of the bridge. [7] The power-operated mount had a maximum elevation of 85° which gave the gun a ceiling of less than 6,800 meters (22,300 ft); horizontal range was 8,500 meters (9,300 yd) at an elevation of 35.7°. The single-shot SK C/30 fired 0.748-kilogram (1.65 lb) projectiles at a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) at a rate of 30 rounds per minute. [8] The ships were also fitted with eight 2 cm (0.8 in) C/38 guns in one quadruple mount on the aft superstructure and a pair of twin mounts on the bridge wings. [7] The gun had an effective rate of fire of about 120 rounds per minute. Its 0.12-kilogram (0.26 lb) projectiles were fired at a muzzle velocity of 875 m/s (2,870 ft/s) which gave it a ceiling of 3,700 meters (12,100 ft) and a maximum horizontal range of 4,800 meters (5,200 yd). [9] Each ship carried 2,000 rounds per gun. [2]

The Type 41s were also equipped with six above-water 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. They used the G7a torpedo [5] which had a 300-kilogram (660 lb) warhead and three speed/range settings: 14,000 meters (15,000 yd) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph); 8,000 meters (8,700 yd) at 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph) and 6,000 meters (6,600 yd) at 44 knots (81 km/h; 51 mph). [10] For anti-submarine work the ships were fitted with four depth charge launchers and six individual cradles for 32 depth charges. [2] They probably would have been equipped with the same electronics suite as the late Type 39s: a S-Gërat sonar, a FuMO 21 [Note 2] radar and FuMB7 [Note 3] "Naxos" and FuMB8 "Wanz G" radar detectors. [11]

The ships of the second and third batches would have been fitted with a high-angle fire-control system to give their main battery an anti-aircraft capability. They also would have received fully automatic 3.7 cm Flak M42 guns in lieu of the semi-automatic SK C/30 weapons of the earlier ships. [12]

Construction

The Kriegsmarine ordered T37–T42 from Schichau on 25 November 1942, although their turbines had been ordered in August 1941. A batch of six more, T43–T48, were ordered on 12 June 1943 and the final batch of four, T49–T51, on 11 January 1944. All were built at the company's shipyard in Elbing, East Prussia, (now Elbląg). T51 was cancelled before construction began. The Kriegsmarine originally estimated that T37 would be completed by the beginning of 1945, but labor shortages and other problems delayed the ships by two to three months. All work ceased at the shipyard on 22 January due to power failures, a lack of workers and the advancing Soviet forces which were approaching East Prussia. [13] [14]

T37, T38 and T39 were towed from Elbing around 23 January for completion at shipyards further west. T37 was intended to be finished at the Deschimag yard in Bremen, but was found in Bremerhaven by American troops at the end of the war with no further work having been done. T38 and T39 were towed to Kiel at the same time as T37; the former was also intended to go to Deschimag. No further work was done on either ship. T40 was towed west on 9 March, bound for Eckernförde with a cargo of a dozen Linsen explosive motorboats aboard, but ran aground at Brösen, Danzig, on the 12th. She was partially salvaged, but was scuttled shortly afterwards. [13] [14]

Ships

Construction data
Number Laid down [15] Launched [15] Completion percentage [14] Fate [15] [14] [5]
T37Between 26 July and 10 October 1943Between 19 February and 19 April 194496.5%Scuttled by the United States Navy, 1946
T3811 October 1943Between 19 April and 19 June 194484%Scuttled by the Royal Navy, 10 May 1946
T39Between 10 October 1943 and 19 February 194476%
T40Between 7 August and 25 October 194470%Accidentally ran aground, 12 March 1945, and later scuttled [12]
T41—66.5%Demolished on the slipway, March 1945
T4258.5%
T43Between 19 February and 19 June 194448%
T4440%
T4535%
T46Unknown26%
T4723%
T4820.5%
T498.2%
T505.3%

Notes

  1. ↑ In Kriegsmarine gun nomenclature, SK stands for Schiffskanone (ship's gun), C/32 stands for Constructionjahr (Construction year) 1932
  2. ↑ Funkmess-Ortung (Radio-direction finder, active ranging)
  3. ↑ Funkmess-Beobachtung (Passive radio-direction finder)

Citations

  1. ↑ Whitley 1991, p. 59; Whitley 2000, p. 75
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner, p. 195
  3. ↑ Sieche, p. 239
  4. ↑ Whitley 1991, p. 203
  5. 1 2 3 Whitley 2000, p. 75
  6. ↑ Campbell, p. 248
  7. 1 2 Whitley 1991, pp. 58–59, 203
  8. ↑ Campbell, p. 256
  9. ↑ Campbell, p. 258
  10. ↑ Campbell, p. 263
  11. ↑ Friedman, p. 205; Whitley 1991, pp. 52–55, 59; Whitley 2000, p. 73
  12. 1 2 Whitley 1991, p. 59
  13. 1 2 Whitley 1991, pp. 59, 213
  14. 1 2 3 4 Gröner, p. 196
  15. 1 2 3 Whitley 1991, p. 213

Related Research Articles

Type 1936A destroyer

The Type 1936A destroyers, also known as the Z23 class, were a group of fifteen destroyers built for the Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine from 1938 to 1943. They were known to the Allies as the Narvik class. In common with other German destroyers launched after the start of World War II, the Narviks were unnamed, known only by their hull numbers – Z23 to Z39.

Type 35 torpedo boat

The Type 35 torpedo boat was a class of a dozen torpedo boats built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Although the first boats were completed a few months after the start of World War II in September 1939, none of them were able to participate in the Norwegian Campaign of April–June 1940. They began escorting convoys and minelayers as they laid their minefields in the North Sea and English Channel in July. Most of the boats were transferred to Norway in November where they made an unsuccessful attempt to attack shipping along the Scottish coast that saw one boat sunk.

Type 1936B destroyer German class of destroyers

The Type 1936B destroyers were a group of five destroyers built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1941 and 1942, of which only three were completed and saw service. Eight ships of this design were ordered, but the orders for three ships were cancelled before construction began. Z35 was the first ship of the class to be completed and was commissioned in mid-1943. Her sister ships, Z36 and Z43, followed in 1944. Z44 was sunk during an air raid in 1944 before she was completed while Z45 was never completed. Both ships were scrapped after the war.

Type 37 torpedo boat

The Type 37 torpedo boat was a class of nine torpedo boats built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in 1941–1942, one boat helped to escort a commerce raider passing through the English Channel into the Atlantic Ocean in late 1941, but their first major action was in early 1942 when they formed part of the escort for a pair of battleships and a heavy cruiser through the Channel back to Germany in the Channel Dash. Two pairs of boats were sent to France at different times in mid-1942 and were part of the escort during an unsuccessful attempt to pass a different commerce raider back through the Channel in October. One boat was assigned to the Torpedo School as a training ship in mid-1942 and the others followed in the next year.

Type 23 torpedo boat Ship class

The Type 23 torpedo boat was a group of six torpedo boats built for the Reichsmarine during the 1920s. As part of the renamed Kriegsmarine, the boats made multiple non-intervention patrols during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. During World War II, they played a minor role in the Norwegian Campaign of 1940, Albatros being lost when she ran aground. The Type 23s spent the next several months escorting minelayers as they laid minefields and escorting ships before the ships were transferred to France around September. Möwe was torpedoed during this time and did not return to service until 1942. They started laying minefields themselves in September and continued to do so for the rest of the war.

Type 24 torpedo boat

The Type 24 torpedo boat (also known as the was a group of six torpedo boats built for the Reichsmarine during the 1920s. As part of the renamed Kriegsmarine, the boats made multiple non-intervention patrols during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. One was sunk in an accidental collision shortly before the start of World War II in September 1939 and the others escorted ships and searched for contraband for several months of the war. They played a minor role in the Norwegian Campaign of April 1940 and resumed their escort duties. After being transferred to France late in the year, the Type 24s started laying their own minefields in the English Channel.

German torpedo boat <i>Tiger</i> (1928)

Tiger was the third of six Type 24 torpedo boats built for the German Navy during the 1920s. The boat made multiple non-intervention patrols during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Tiger was sunk by a German destroyer in August 1939 which accidentally rammed her during night training.

German torpedo boat <i>T3</i>

The German torpedo boat T3 was one of a dozen Type 35 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during the late 1930s. Completed in 1940, she was assigned to escort minelayers as they laid their minefields in the North Sea and English Channel in July. The boat was sunk in France by British bombers in September and was refloated the following year. T3 was assigned to the Torpedo School when her repairs were completed in 1943. She returned to active duty a year later and escorted German ships as they bombarded Soviet positions. The boat sank a Soviet submarine in early 1944 and she struck a mine in March 1945 and sank with heavy loss of life.

German torpedo boat <i>T6</i>

The German torpedo boat T6 was one of a dozen Type 35 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during the late 1930s. Completed in 1940, she initially escorted ships through the Skaggerak before she was assigned to escort minelayers as they laid their minefields in the North Sea and English Channel in July. T6 started laying her own minefields two months later and was flagship of the 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla when she struck a mine and sank when attempting to attack several convoys off the Scottish coast in November.

German torpedo boat <i>T15</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T15 was one of nine Type 37 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1941, the ship was transferred to Occupied France in December. She helped to escort a pair of battleships and a heavy cruiser through the English Channel back to Germany in February 1942 in the Channel Dash and then was ordered to Norway for escort work. T15 returned to Germany in August where she was assigned to the Torpedo School and U-boat Flotillas as a training ship. The ship was sunk by American bombers in December 1943.

German torpedo boat <i>T16</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T16 was one of nine Type 37 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1941, the ship arrived in France in January 1942. She helped to escort a pair of battleships and a heavy cruiser through the English Channel back to Germany in February in the Channel Dash and then was ordered to Norway for escort work. T16 returned to Germany in May to begin a lengthy refit and briefly returned to Norway in May 1943 before going back to Germany. She was assigned to a U-boat Flotilla as a training ship in September. The ship was damaged by a mine in February 1944 and completed her repairs in August. T16 was then assigned to the Baltic Sea where she screened German ships as they bombarded Soviet positions for the rest of the year. The torpedo boat was assigned convoy escort duties in the Skagerrak around the beginning of 1945. During one such mission in April, T16 was badly damaged by British bombers and was deemed a constructive total loss. The ship was scrapped in Denmark beginning in September 1946.

German torpedo boat <i>T20</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T20 was one of nine Type 37 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1942, she was transferred to Norway in March 1943 for escort duties. The ship returned to Germany in October and was assigned to the Torpedo School. T20 returned to active duty a year later and supported German forces operating in the Baltic Sea. She was then assigned escort duties in the Skagerrak around the beginning of 1945, which included covering minelaying missions. The ship was allocated to the British after the war, but she was transferred to France in 1946. Unused by the French Navy, she was stricken from the Navy List in 1951 and subsequently scrapped.

German torpedo boat <i>T21</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T21 was one of nine Type 37 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1942, she was transferred to Norway in March 1943 for escort duties. The ship returned to Germany in October and was assigned to the Torpedo School. T21 returned to active duty in May 1944 and supported German forces operating in the Baltic Sea. The boat began a major refit in December which had not been completed when the war ended in May 1945. She was allocated to the United States after the war, but was only used to dispose of gas munitions by scuttling her in deep water in 1946.

Type 39 torpedo boat Nazi Germanys Kriegsmarines torpedo boats

The Type 1939 torpedo boats, also known as the Elbing class by the Allies, were a group of 15 torpedo boats that were built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German torpedo boat <i>T35</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T35 was one of fifteen Type 39 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in late 1944, she was assigned to convoy escort duties and supporting German forces in the Baltic. The ship escorted a heavy cruiser in January 1945 as she bombarded Soviet troops and helped to evacuate troops and refugees from advancing Soviet forces in May. T35 was allocated to the United States after the war, but was turned over to the French Navy in 1947 to be used as a source of spare parts. She was stricken from the Navy List in 1952 and subsequently sold for scrap.

German torpedo boat <i>T34</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T34 was one of fifteen Type 39 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1944, the boat was still working up in the Baltic when she struck a mine in November and sank.

German torpedo boat <i>T33</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T33 was one of fifteen Type 39 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in mid-1944, the boat was assigned to convoy escort duties and supporting German forces in the Baltic. She escorted a heavy cruiser in January 1945 as she bombarded Soviet troops and helped to evacuate troops and refugees from advancing Soviet forces in May. T33 was allocated to the Soviet Union after the war and was renamed Primerny. She served with the Baltic Fleet until 1954 when the ship was converted into an accommodation ship and renamed PKZ-63. She was turned over to be scrapped on 9 November 1956 and subsequently broken up.

German torpedo boat <i>T31</i> German torpedo boat

The German torpedo boat T31 was one of fifteen Type 39 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Completed in early 1944, the boat was assigned to convoy escort duties and supporting German forces in the Baltic. She was sunk in combat with Soviet motor torpedo boats on 20 June off the Finnish coast on 20 June with 82 men killed.

Type 40 torpedo boat Planned group of German ships in WWII

The Type 1940 torpedo boats were a group of 24 torpedo boats that were intended to be built for Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Although classed as fleet torpedo boats by the Germans, they were comparable to contemporary large destroyers. They were designed around surplus Dutch propulsion machinery available after the Germans conquered the Netherlands in May 1940 and were to be built in Dutch shipyards. Hampered by uncooperative Dutch workers and material shortages, none of the ships were completed before the Allies invaded Normandy on June 1944. The Germans towed the three ships that were most complete to Germany to be finished, but one was sunk en route by Allied fighter-bombers and no further work was done of the pair that did arrive successfully. The remaining ships in the Netherlands were later broken up for scrap and the two that reached Germany were scuttled in 1946.

Type 44 torpedo boat Nazi Germanys Kriegsmarines torpedo boats

The Type 44 torpedo boats were a group of six or nine torpedo boats that were designed for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Ordered in 1944, none of the ships were laid down before the German surrender in May 1945.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.