Wrangel in 1930 | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Operators | Swedish Navy |
Preceded by | Hugin class |
Succeeded by | Ehrensköld class |
Built | 1916–1918 |
In commission | 1916–1947 |
Planned | 4 |
Completed | 2 |
Cancelled | 2 |
Scrapped | 2 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | 69.6 m (228 ft 4 in) |
Beam | 6.9 m (22 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 screws; 2 geared steam turbines |
Speed | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
Complement | 81 |
Armament |
|
The Wrangel class was a class of four destroyers built for the Royal Swedish Navy during World War I of which two were cancelled before they were laid down. Completed in 1918, they were in service until shortly after the end of World War II in 1945. Wrangel served as a target ship before she was sunk in 1960 and Wachtmeister was broken up for scrap in 1951.
The Wrangel class completed a line of Swedish 30-knot (56 km/h; 35 mph) destroyers, originating from HSwMS Wale. Compared to contemporary destroyers in other navies, the ships were significantly smaller and more lightly armed, but they were improved versions of the preceding Hugin class and were the first Swedish destroyers to use single-reduction geared turbines. [1] The Wrangel class had a standard displacement of 415 tonnes (408 long tons ) and 498 t (490 long tons) at full load. The destroyers measured 69.6 metres (228 ft 4 in) long at the waterline and 72.0 m (236 ft 3 in) overall with a beam of 6.9 m (22 ft 8 in) and a mean draught of 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in). [2] [lower-alpha 1]
The Wrangels were powered by a pair of de Laval geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four coal-fired Yarrow boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 11,000 shaft horsepower (8,200 kW ), but actually produced 13,000 shp (9,700 kW) that gave them a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). The ships carried 105 t (103 long tons; 116 short tons) of coal. The destroyers had a complement of 81 officers and ratings. [1] [2]
The destroyers were armed with four 50-calibre 75-millimetre (3 in) m/12 guns in single mounts. One gun was situated fore and aft of the superstructure and the other two were on the broadside amidships. [1] [2] The guns fired 6.5-kilogram (14 lb) shells at a muzzle velocity of 780 metres per second (2,600 ft/s). [3] They also mounted two 6.5 mm (0.26 in) M1914 machine guns. The torpedo armament of the Wrangel-class destroyers consisted of 457 mm (18 in) torpedoes fired from two twin-tube mounts located on the centreline aft of the funnels and one single tube on each broadside between the second and third funnels. [1] [2]
The boilers of the Wrangels were converted to use fuel oil in 1927. They were rearmed in 1940, adding one Bofors 25 mm (1 in) M32 anti-aircraft gun and two 8 mm (0.31 in) M36 anti-aircraft guns while having their two single torpedo tube mounts removed. This increased their standard displacement to 498 t (490 long tons). [2]
Construction data [1] [2] | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Stricken | Fate |
Wrangel | Lindholmens, Gothenburg, Sweden | 1916 | 25 September 2017 | 4 May 1918 | 13 May 1947 | Used as a target ship; sank 1960 |
Wachtmeister | 19 December 1917 | 19 October 1918 | 13 June 1947 | Sold for scrap, 1950 | ||
Ehrensköld | Cancelled | |||||
Nordenskjöld | ||||||
Four ships were authorised in 1914 at the beginning of World War I. However, the final two ships of the class were cancelled due to economic reasons. Constructed in Sweden, HSwMS Wrangel and HSwMS Wachtmeister were both laid down in 1916 and completed in 1918. They were initially given the pennant numbers 9 and 10 respectively, but in 1940, these were changed to 25 and 26 respectively. [2] Both destroyers saw little action during their service due to Sweden's neutrality during both world wars beyond sailing on neutrality patrols. [4] Wrangel was stricken from the Navy Directory on 13 May 1947. The vessel was used as a target ship for tests and was sunk in 1960. Wachtmeister was stricken on 13 June 1947 and sold for scrap in 1951. [2] [lower-alpha 2]
HSwMS Gotland was an aircraft cruiser built for the Royal Swedish Navy during the 1930s. Completed in 1934, she was assigned to the Coastal Fleet and also served as a training ship for naval cadets in foreign waters until the beginning of World War II in 1939. During the war the ship conducted neutrality patrols and continued to serve as a training ship. Gotland was converted into an anti-aircraft cruiser in 1943–1944 as her floatplanes were obsolete and modern replacements could not be purchased. After the war ended in 1945, she became a dedicated training ship and resumed making lengthy foreign cruises with cadets.
HSwMS Wachtmeisterwas the second and last of the Wrangel-class destroyers built for the Royal Swedish Navy during World War I. Completed in 1918, the ship was rammed by another Swedish destroyer four years later. At the beginning of World War II in 1939 she was assigned to the Gothenburg Squadron. Wachtmeister was decommissioned in 1947 and was subsequently sold for scrap in 1950.
HSwMS Sjölejonet was the lead ship of a class of nine naval submarines in the service of the Swedish Navy from just before World War II into the early Cold War. The submarines were ordered in response to the rising German threat to the south in the interwar period. Sjölejonet remained in service until 1959 and was sold for scrap in 1962.
HSwMS Sverige was a Sverige-class coastal defence ship (Pansarskepp) commissioned by Sweden during the last year of the First World War. The ship cost approximately 12 million kronor, a sum raised entirely by public donations. The fundraising was done because of the Karl Staaff government's reluctance to spend money on a new battleship. In addition to its impressive cost, the ship also had a significant impact on the Swedish Navy and its capabilities.
The Tre Kronor class was a class of two cruisers built for the Swedish Navy during World War II, comprising Tre Kronor and Göta Lejon. Tre Kronor was discarded in 1968 and Göta Lejon was sold to Chile in 1971. Renamed Almirante Latorre, she remained in service until being discarded in 1986.
The Churruca class was a Spanish destroyer class built for the Spanish Navy based on a British design. Eighteen ships were built, with two being sold to Argentina and commonly referred to as the Cervantes class. The last two members of the class are sometimes referred to as a separate class, the Alava class.
HSwMS Puke (19) was a Psilander-class destroyer of the Swedish Navy from 1940 to 1947. The ship was purchased from Italy by Sweden in 1940, along with her sister ship HSwMS Psilander. Before that, she served in the Regia Marina as Bettino Ricasoli, one of four members of the Italian Sella class. Puke was scrapped in 1949.
The Visby class was a Swedish World War II destroyer class. During the years 1942–1944 four ships, Visby, Sundsvall, Hälsingborg and Kalmar, were built and delivered to the Swedish navy. The ships were a part of Sweden's military buildup during the war. Under this period the ships were used as neutral guards and escort ships. In 1965 the ships were modified and rebuilt as frigates. Two of the ships were decommissioned in 1978 and the last two followed in 1982.
The Klas class, also referred to as the Klas Horn class, was a pair of destroyers in service with the Swedish Navy from 1932 to 1958. They are sometimes considered part of the preceding Ehrensköld-class destroyers. Two ships in the class was constructed between 1930 and 1932, HSwMS Klas Uggla and HSwMS Klas Horn. The ships were involved in the Hårsfjärden disaster in 1941, in which both ships were damaged. Klas Uggla was raised but decommissioned, Klas Horn was repaired and continued to serve in the navy until 1958.
The Ehrensköld class was the first "modern" class of destroyer built by the Swedish Navy after the First World War. It introduced several new features, mainly heavy armament in three 12 cm guns and the new 53 cm torpedo. The class included two vessels, Ehrensköld and Nordenskjöld, which were both launched in 1926 and entered service in 1927. They patrolled the Baltic Sea until 1963, after which they became target vessels. Nordenskjöld was scrapped in 1964 and Ehrensköld in 1974.
HSwMS Mode was a coastal destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy, built by Götaverken and launched on 11 April 1942 as the lead of the four ship Mode class. Developed from an Italian design, the ship was capable of a wide range of roles, with depth charges to defeat submarines, torpedo tubes to attack ships and anti-aircraft guns for aerial defence, as well as mine laying capability. After serving during World War II, the ship was updated with greater anti-submarine capability and reclassified a frigate in 1953. Decommissioned on 1 July 1970, Mode subsequently operated in a training role until being scrapped in 1978.
HSwMS Munin was a coastal destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy, built by Öresundsvarvet and launched on 27 May 1942 as the third of the four-ship Mode class. The ship was the only member of the class to be built by Öresundsvarvet in Landskrona. Joining the Coastal Fleet in January 1943, Munin served during World War II and then, after the conflict, visited Belgium, France, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom in 1946 and 1947. In 1953, the vessel was upgraded with enhanced anti-submarine armament, being re-rated a frigate. After twenty-five years service, the ship was decommissioned on 6 December 1968 and sold for scrap the following year.
HSwMS Mjölner was a coastal destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy, built by Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad and launched on 9 April 1942 as the last of the four ship Mode class. After serving during World War II, the ship was updated and reclassified a frigate in 1953. Decommissioned in 1966, Mjölner was sold for scrap in 1969.
HSwMS Wrangel was the lead ship of her class of two destroyers built for the Royal Swedish Navy during World War I. At the beginning of World War II in 1939 she was assigned to the Gothenburg Squadron. The ship was stricken in 1947 and was subsequently used as a pilot and target ship. Wrangel sunk as a target in 1960.
HSwMS Psilander (18) was a Psilander-class destroyer of the Swedish Navy from 1940 to 1947. The ship was purchased from Italy by Sweden in 1940, along with her sister ship HSwMS Puke. Before that, she served in the Regia Marina as Giovanni Nicotera, one of four members of the Italian Sella class. Psilander was scrapped in 1949.
HSwMS Öland was the lead ship of the two ship Öland-class of destroyers which served with the Royal Swedish Navy. Larger and more stable than previous Swedish destroyers, the vessel was launched on 15 December 1945. Armament was based around two twin mounting for semi-automatic 120 mm (4.7 in) guns, an extensive anti-aircraft defence of seven 40 mm (1.6 in) and eight 25 mm (1.0 in) guns and a quadruple 375 mm (15 in) anti-submarine rocket launcher, as well as torpedoes and mines. The ship was upgraded in 1960, which involved the addition of a Squid anti-submarine mortar amongst other alterations, and reclassified as a frigate in 1974, until ultimately being retired on 1 July 1978 as part of a strategy to remove larger combat vessels from the fleet.
HSwMS Uppland was a Öland-class destroyer which served with the Royal Swedish Navy. Larger and more stable than previous Swedish destroyers, the vessel was launched on 15 December 1948. Armament was based around two twin mounting for semi-automatic 120 mm (4.7 in) guns, an extensive anti-aircraft defence of seven 40 mm (1.6 in) and eight 20 mm (1 in) guns and a quadruple 375 mm (15 in) anti-submarine rocket launcher, as well as torpedoes and mines. The ship was upgraded in 1963, which involved the addition of a helicopter platform amongst other alterations, and reclassified as a frigate in 1974, until ultimately being retired on 1 July 1978 as part of a strategy to remove larger combat vessels from the fleet.
The La Masa class was a class of eight destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina constructed during the First World War. Like other obsolete Italian destroyers, they were reclassified as torpedo boats in 1929, and seven ships served throughout the Second World War. Two ships were sunk in air attacks while in Italian service during the Second World War, one was sunk by a mine, two more were scuttled. The remaining two ships survived the war and continued to serve in the post-war Marina Militare, being decommissioned in 1957–1958.
HSwMS Gävle was a destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy that served during the Second World War and in the Cold War. The fifth member of the Göteborg or city class, which was designed as an improvement on the previous Ehrensköld class, Gävle was launched on 25 September 1940. The destroyer served in the Coastal Fleet during the war, protecting Swedish neutrality and assisting in the 1944 evacuation of Estonia. After the conflict had ceased, the ship was upgraded with enhanced fire control and an armament improved with the introduction of the Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun between 1950 and 1951. Ten years later, in 1961, Gävle was rearmed as a fast anti-submarine frigate and the torpedo tubes were replaced by Squid mortars. After being decommissioned on 6 December 1968, the vessel helped in the testing of the equipment for the Oskarshamn Nuclear Power Plant, finally being broken up in 1972.
HSwMS Malmö was a destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy that served during the Second World War and in the Cold War. The third member of the Göteborg or City class, an improvement on the previous Ehrensköld class, Malmö was launched on 22 September 1938. The destroyer served during the war on neutrality patrols and escorts, as well as the evacuation of Gotland in 1941. After the war, the ship was upgraded multiple times. Armament was improved with the introduction of the Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun in 1951 and the Squid mortar ten years later. The latter followed the redefinition of Malmö as an anti-submarine frigate. The ship served in that role for a short time, being decommissioned on 1 February 1965 and broken up as the part of a wider Swedish naval programme of retiring destroyers and frigates.