German Destroyers 1939–45

German Destroyers 1939-45

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New Vanguard. 91

OSPREY PUBLISHING

German Destroyers 1939-45

Gordon Williamson· Illustrated by Ian Palmer

flrs1 putIIiII>ed .. GrN1 Bman .. 2003 by (>spMy Pubb/'IIng.

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"""",,,...- d pI' Fire control Main armament The main armament of each ship was controlled b)' IWO optical rangefindcrs linked to a fire comrol computer station. Flak guns ~1ain fire control for the 3.7cm flak guns "'as pro\;ded b)' a 1.25m optical rangefindcr, backed by a pon.able hand-held O.1m optical rangefindcr for the 2cm flak guns.

RADAR The German navy playcd a leading role in the development of military radar syslems. The Nachricbten Vcrsuchsabteilung (NS\!) had bcgun work on thc development of sonar-type systems capable of dctcCling underwalcr targcts as cad)' as 1929. Using similar principles for operating above thc surface. a rather primilive sySlcm '\~d.S developed in 1933 that could pick up echoes using 13.5cll1 shon-wedoboOl 522. Z21 wstorer Wilhelm Heidkamp Maat all board Sl\'IS Se)'dlitz.. InstrumcllL."l1 in prcvcnting his ship from exploding by flooding the magazines, despilc his seriOlls ir~jUl;cs, 2'1 January 1915. Hcidkamp survived thc war bullalcr died of his injurics. Z22 Zerst6rer AntOlI Schmitt L\OOlSmannsmaat. Gun commander on the light cruiser }-'hwnilob. Displayed conspicuous gallanU)' in refusing to leave his pOSl, mailllaining lire until thc last moment while under hea\)' cnemy lire dcspile being up to his waist as his ship took on waler.

A c:..... membet" '""'" Z5 proud" sports the c:.p rtbbon of his -.hlp, Z ...t6ntr Paul .hcobI. 'TMM ribbons _ow e major ,~ In tosterinsl esprit de COI'PS end pride In the Ailor'S eulgned ship' but ..... wtthdrrNn on the outb ... 0' w ... 1lnd .-pIKed b}' e rtbOon bearing the single

~~smaritHt.

ORGANISATION The Destroyer Fleel \\~,IS distributed across a number of flotillas. Prior to the outbreak of war, the flotilla number of the individual boat was reflected in its pennant number, painted in large white numerals on the side of the hull. This was a two-digil number, the first reCk-cting the flotilla number and the second the ship's number. Thus, with the Paul jarobi, the Humber 21 indicated second flotilla, ship number one. 1. Zerst6rer F10tllle Z2 (~ T1Iieu), 7..3 (Max Schu/h), 24 (Richard &itun), Zl4 (Fri'-flrich 11m). ZIS (Erich Stnnhrinck) , ZI6 (FrUdrich Eckoldt) 2. Zerst6rer Flotille 13 (Pall/jacobI), Z6 (Theodor RUtkl), Z7 (Hermmm Schoemarm), Z8 (Bnmo Hnnt1nmm), ZI (I.Lbmcht Maa.s) 3. Zerstllrer Flotllie Zl7 (Dil'th~ von HMtler), ZI8 (Hans Ludemann), Z20 (Karl Calster), Z22 (Anton &hmilt) 4. Zerstllrer Flotllie Z9 (Wolfgang lnIker), ZII (&17/(1 von Amim), ZIO (Ham Lody) , ZI2 (Erich Gi~), Z13 (Erich Kot'illler)From 1942: Z31, Z32, Z33, Z34, Z37, Z38,Z39

Looking aft we He the MCOml funnel with Its antl·sln::raft platform. The gun crew Is closely obHrvlng sn sln::raft passing sstern of the ship. Note the canvss dodgers fitted to the ralls around the gun platform, giving some protectlon from hesvy spr.y.

5. Zerst6rer Flotllle ZIS (Erich Sfl'illhrillck) , Z5 (Paul Jacobi), Z16 (Friedrich Eckoldt), Z6 (71lfO(/or Riedel) From 1942: Z29, Z2S, Z4 (Richard 8I'itZi'71), Z5 (Paul Jacobi), ZI4 (Friedridl flm), Z7 (HmllnilnSdwemalln) 6. Zerst6rer Flotille Z33, Z36, Z43, Z5 (Paul jato/,,), Z7 (l-lmlwlHl Sc!uwmann), Z8 (Bruno Heinemann), Z6 (Theodor Hiedel) , ZIO (Hans Lady), Z20 (Karl Galster)

8. Zerstorer Flotille Z23,Z24,Z25,Z26,Z27,Z28,Z~J,Z30.

\\"d.'I

Notc that attachment of an)' particular destroyer to a specific flotilla not ncres-'larily pennanCIlL

TYPE 34 LEBERECHT MAAS CLASS Four examples (ZI-Z4) of this t)'pC were manurnctured. All were consuucted at the Deutsche Werkc pro in Kiel.

11

ZI Kccllaid 15/10/34; launched 18/8/35; commissioned 14/1/37. This ship, the Lebt,.echt lHu(l.S, ran on to a mine and was sunk whilst
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14

Of these 12 vessels, Z5-Z9 were built at the Deschimag in Bremen, ZIQ-Zl3 at the Gemlani· awerft in Kiel and Z1~Z 16 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg.

Clo-.up of one of ttM twin 3.7cm flak guns on ZS, PlWI JM:obI. Thl, ......1 . . . one of only , of dettro)'ert 10 . . full co"'fMement of Ii. twin 3.7cm ~ntL

",ndful

.w. •

Z10,

~

Lod)r, during her

commissioning ~ orith the $hlp" ~nd

rnustef"ed on

the quertllf"deck. Nou.:. the flHlder enendlng fTom her rear huH. pnt'Ientlng the .... Ip swinging 89lJinst the qlnlplde.

TYPE 34A PAUL JACOBI SPECIFICATIONS Length: Beam,

aught M3X/mUm displacement Fuel oil carried: Maximum speed: Maximum endumnce: Main armament: Flak armament:

Torpedoes:

Depth charges: Mines:

Complement:

119m 11.3m 4.23m 3,510 tons 715 tons max. 38 '""""

1,825 nautical miles

5;11; 12.7cm guns in singl&-barrelled turrets 8 x 3.7cm guns in lour twin turrets 6 x 2cm guns on single mounts 8 x 53.3cm torpedo lubes in two quadruple mounts 4 launchers Up to 60 carried 325 officers and men

Ship'. commanders Z6

1937\0 Oct 1938 Oct 1938 to Feb \941 Feb 1941 loJul1944 Jul 1944 to ~1ay 1945 Z7 Jul 1937 to On 1938 OCI 1938 to Nov 1940

JUIl

Nov 1940 to Apr 1941

Apr 1941 to Sep 1943 Sep 1943 loJan 1944 Jan 1944 LoJun 1944 JUIl

1944 to ~Iay 1945

Z8 Sep 1937 to On 1938

Korvctlcnkapitith a cUl"\'ed face to the bridge, this lat.er being modified during refitting. AJI subsequent destroyers were compleLCd wit.h a squared face t.o thc bridgc. Z9, Zll, ZI2 and ZI3 wcrc all lost. early in t.he "'~df, in the battle for Nar\'ik, and saw no major modifications. ZS, ZIO and Zl5 all had lhe third main al1l1ament. turret remO\'ed and additional Oak annament substituted. All had lheir Oak armament significantly increased from the basic complemenl of 4 x 3.7cm unilS. Z5 ultimately had len 3.7cm guns, ZIO had 12 and ZI5 had 14 oflhem.

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Powerplant The Type 34A featured a similar po.....erplam la}'OUl to the T)'pC 34. Z5 lO Z8 were fitted \\;th six Benson boilers whilst Z9 to ZI6 had boilers

w.

H.... see the cre", of one of tne qu"",pl. torpedo tube mount•. Not. ttlat the control po.ltlon h. . . lightly armoured K ....n to prot.ct ttl. crew from .hell .pUnter•.

supplied by Wagner. Two 200kw tLlrbo-gencrators were supplied, as ,,'ere two 60kw and one 5Ok...... diesel generaLOrs in Z5 to ZB. and three 50k\\' diesel generators in 29 LO ZI6. Powcrplant in both the 34 and 34A l)peli developed in lhe region of 70,OOOhp.

TYPE 36 DIETHER VON ROEDER CLASS A IOI.a1 of six \'essels of mis class were completed. 217 Kccllaid 9/9/36; launched 19/8/7; cOlluuissioll(.-d 29/8/38. Did"" von Rmtkr was SCUll1cd after being seriollsly damaged during the battle for Narvik, 13 April 1940. Z18 Keel laid 9/9/36; launched 12/12/37; commissioned 8/10/38. Hans Liidmwnn was severely damaged during lhc batl1c for Nani.k. and was scutl1ed by a British boarding party. Zig Kecllaid 5/10/36; launched 22/12/37; commissioncd 12/1/39. Hamann Kiinne ....' as nm aground and scuttlcd during thc battlc for Nani.k., 13 April 1940. Z20 Kt:c1laid 14/9/3i; launched 15/7/38; cOlllmissioncd 21/3/39. Karl Galstn suni,'t'd the war to be handcd m·er to the Soviet N"a,")'. She was scrapped in 19:>8. Z21 Kecllaid 15/12/3i; launched 20/8/38; commissioned lO/i/39. \Vilhdm HDdkamp was sunk. by torpedoes from a British dcsrroycr at Nanik.. II April 1940. Z22 Kcellaid 3/1/38; launched 20/9/38; commissioned 24/9/39. Anton Schmittwassunk by torpedoes from a British dcslroycr 10Aprill940. TYPE 36 SPECIFICATIONS Length:

123m

Beam,

11.7m 4.5m 3,469 tons

Draught: Maximum displacement: Fuel oil carried: Maximum speed: Maximum endurance: Fuel oil carried: Maximum speed: Maximum endurance: Main armament: Flak armament: Torpedoes: Depth charges: Mines:

Complement

715 tons max. 38 knots

1,825 nautical miles 760 lonnes max. 40 knots 2,020 nautical miles

5 x 12.7cm guns in single-barrelled turrets 8 x 3.7em guns In four twin turrets 7 x 2cm guns ()(l single mounts 8 x 53.3cm totpedo tubes In two quadrupte mounts 4 launchers Up to 60 C8fTied 323 officEH'S and men

Ship'. commanders 217 Aug 1938 to Apr 1940

Kon'eucnkapitiin liolLon

2'8 Oct 1938loApr 1940

Konocucnkapitiin Friedrichs

17

Z'9 Jan 1939 to Apr 1940

Kon'Cttcnkapitan Kothe

Z20 ~'1ar 1939 to Aug 1942 Aug 1942 toJan 1945 Jan 1945 to May 1945

Kon·cuenkapi13.n von ~1auchenheim Frcg-.mcnkapitin Hannsen Freg-.tltcnkapitan Sc::hmidt Kon'eucnkapiriin Erdmenger

Z22 Scp 1939 to Apr 1940

Kon'euenkapitin BOhme

Modifications Z17, ZIB, Z19, Z21 and Z22 were all lost in the carl)' part of the war and had no major modifications. Z20 sun'ivcd the \','ar, but saw little in the way of modifications, though her Oak annament W;L~ beefed up v.'ith the addition ofa Flakvierlingon the roof of the deckhOllSC on her aft superstructure and to either side of her bridge. A single 2cm Oak gun was also mounted immediately forwdfd of turret 'Bruno'. The Type 36 destroyers had funnels which were reduced somewhat in si7.e from those of the Type 34 and Type 34A. Z20, Z21 and Z22 were all completed with sharply raked dippcr-rype bows. Powerplant The Type 36 was po.....ered by two Wagner turbines and fitted v.ill. six Wagner boilers, developing some 70,OOOhp in total. This l)~ had greater capacity for eleclrical po\','er generation. with two 80kw and one 40kw diesel generators, and two 200kw nlr!x>-generators.

TYPE 36A Z23 CLASS

18

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tunnel can be _ . M1d one 01

the ship" boat. Ms been swung

Z2' Jun 1939 to Apr 1940

Mldal\Ips . . .

Z22. Anton SchmItt. The second

Eight vessels of this class were completed, all being buill by Deschimag. Z23 Ked laid 15/11/38; launched 15/12/39; commissioned 15/9/40. Decommissioned by tIle Germans in August 1944, she sun~\'ed the war and was taken into the Frcnch navy in 1946, where she sen'ed as the Leopard. She W'dS scrapped in 1951. Z24 Keel laid 2/1/39; launched 7/3/40; commissioncd 26/10/40. Sunk by Allied aircrdft on 25 AuguSl 1944. Z25 Keel laid 15/2/39; launched 3/3/40; commissioned 30/1 1/40. Sun1"ed the war and was taken O\'er by the RO}'a1 Navy until gh'Cn to France in 1946, sening as the HOCM, until finall)' scrapped in 1959. Z26 Keel laid 1/4/39; launched 2/4/40; commissioned 11/1/41. Sunk in action against British warships in the Barents Sea. March 1942. Z27 Keel laid 27/12/39; launched 1/8/40; commissioned 26/2/41. Sunk in action against British warships in the Bay of Biscay, 28 December 1943.

out rNdy 101'

~119.

Just

Inboard 01 thing their lorpedoes and the shells being fired b)' cnelll)' long-mnge shore baUclics. Fri€drich Ih1l also succeeded in shooting down onc of the enern)' Swordfish LOrpedo bombers lhal launched their attacl:. shortly after the MTBs had been drivcn off. TIlis \V""dS lhe first of many such alt."1Cks from the air, all of which were met by a velitable curtain of fire fi'olll the anti.....ircraft defences of all of the GenTian ships. The deslro)'crs were forced lO manoeuvre violcntl)' to avoid bombs and torpedoes dropped by enelll)' aircraft. Rirhanl Beilztm., too, succeeded in shooting down an cnerny bomber. Although lhe Zg9 suffered a mechanical breakdown, and three of lhe older torpedo boats tbat also fonTied part oflhc escort force were sunk, as far as lhe destroyers

37

38

were cOllccmcd, Operation Cerberus could Ix considered a succt.'ss. Despite the :wailabilit)' of excellelll bases in France, the dt:stroyer neet did not contribu!c much 10 Gennan naval slrenglll in Ihis area, tOlp..'e tOfl>Cdocs failed to launch and thc otllcr malfunctioned and turned back againsl the cmiser herself. hitting her in tJIC bows. Z26 then anemptcd to limp away at much reduced speed but was c-.mglu by the British dc..'Stroyer H,dip~. Incredibly, once again jlL~t as tlle Ul;lish .....ere preparing to finish her orr, luck. smik'ti on lhe Z26 as the weather suddenly cleared to re...eal the other two Gel1nan deslroyers rushing lO the aid of their Sll;ckcn companion. I-Ieavy lirc fell on £ClipS#', driving her offwith suhstantial damage being caused. Damage lO Z26 was by now 100 great for there to be any chance of sa\~ng her, and the best lhal Z24 and Z25 could do was to take 011' her sun~\~ng crew after scuttling chal'ges had been set The two remaining deslroyers subsequcntly reached their base in Kirkencs safely.

I

3.

40

On 30 April 1942, destroycrs operating in the far north (Zerslorerbrrl'ppe Eismcer) were tasked ",,'ilh hunting down and finishing off lhe cntiser HMS Edinbllrgh. She had been bound from Mummnsk to the USA and canyiug (unbeknown to the Gcnnans) a load of gold bullion in payment for supplies the Soviets had received from the Amclicans. The cntiser had been torpedoed and sc'\"erclydamaged b)' U-456. Whilst searching for the cntiser, tile desrroycr.> Z24, Z25 and Hennaml SdJ()~nlaml encountered the convoy that the Edinhllrg" had been escorting. Thanks 10 tile spirited defencc plll up by the convoy's wcll-olilgunned remaining escorts, only one freighter was sunk before thc destroyers broke off to continue their search for the damaged cntiser. In thc moming of 2 ~ta)r, the cmiser, with a mixed escort of dcsu'Oyers .md mincs"'eepers, \''d . by b.arge to safety.. A major catast.rophe had hit the dbitroyens once again when, on 12 December 19-14, a mixed gmup of dt..'sU'"Oyens and torpc..-d.o boats was t:.lSkl.-d. widl laying mines off t.he E.'itonian coasL Suia rddio silence W,lS ordCTt."(1. ;lS well as a prohibition on the ll'ie of radar, and all ships were nllllling darkened, with no lights showing. A'i thc flotilla progressed towards its destination area, weidler conditions worsened and it appeans thai scn..'ral of the shiP'S were uncert,lin of their exact position, a dangerollS sit.uation when in dle proximit.)' of knrn\TI minefield'i.. Just before 1400hrs, Z35 rMl on to a mine and was rocked by SC\'Crnl explosions, being rippt.-d. apart. as her 0\\11 p.."l}·load of mines. fused and ready for Ia)ing. cxploc::kd.. The samc f 6, 6 fine comrol 7 iMh-u"l{ 6. 18.2'0, 24, 44, AI. A'l fooo-.Im (UnCb 5, S4. S6 nUlla 6,7,7 I':IngdirKkn 7

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10,46

StrJ-. H:\IS 33

Desd'inug l"rd, "",men 14,4:; n.:lI~hc Wcrke

prd. Kid II

41, 4;

SpitzL>.,rgen

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Tirpit> 40,41. 4i T.."iMd, HMS 39 Tn'" 34 ~11I claM commande" 12-1:i modification> 13 powerplant 13 specificalions 12 ZI ILbnnhl MIllIS 9, II. 12. 12, :N. 33. 4.~, C Z2 Gtmg Thu-k 9. 11. 12, 33, .%, :~. 45. B

39

llMS 40

EidnKJUI (Nnrw~gian ,hip) '1 BIG (EinhdtsminCll 'C') mi"... 7 EMF (Einhcil,,,,incn ~'"n,wJldung) ",incs 7 E"lnpriu, HMS ~ E.A,mo, 1-IMS 36. 4", n

t1 FMC (~·l1llkl1lc~,..Gl:rftt) 8 foreign dc!lrO~'crs 43 f1otjll:~,

FuMII FIll-iO

(F""kllle~lkol);LChl\lng) ""d"r 8 (.·"nkrne~~rl""g) ""dar 8.44. AI

(;."nmmiawcl'f( ya,d. Kiel 14. 4.~ C'oCsclhchaft fl",r Elcktroaku~ti~he lind

Mcchanische Appa"~lc (GEMA) 7.8

GlMgow. HMS 11. 38 Gli,d",bc,'g 43 GJU'Ut'lUfIl 37

lIanlJ. Hl-{S

35

H,,1. HMS :56

Hou"",. 1-1.\15

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H'lIIUt", 11:'015 35

48

&4.antAorll 3i, 41. 4i SNfJiNL HMS 14.40

IJlWojl"'*. HMS "1

Ed'~bll'~.

44

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ZH I'nmnd III" 10, I L 14. 16, 3i, 40.43 7.1" f.:N1t .'''"nbrl1ld 10. II. 14. 16.33. ~9. II ZI6 Fntdrull f;'bIdl 10. ll, 14, 16. n.

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Z3M""St:h"lh. 10.11.12.13.33 Z'I Rieh"rd lkilun 10.11. 12, 13,33. 31i,

3i. 40. 41 Type 34A 1'""lj(J~obicla", commandc" 15-16 modifications 16 powerplant 16--17 'pecificatiolls 15 Z!'>l'tJwjoco(n 10.11.13-14,14.37 Z6 TIuudor 1Mit/ 10, II. 14, I:', 33. 40, 40,41,41.43,43,44. is. ,0..1 Zi HfnfI(J"" S€lwnI,an" 10, II. 14, 15. :56, 3i. 58. 40 18 B",,,,, 11",..-"" 10, II. 14. 150-16, n,3i Z9 1I+11g z.n.t.".- 10. II, 14, 16,36 ZIO HtmS LodJ 8, 10. II, 14. 15. 16, 24. 36,39,40. 41. 43, 44, 44. A%

commandt'D 17-18 tllodifl(;luons 18 !X""~rplant 18 spccif'C',1tions Ii Zl7 DodI-_ ~ 10, II. Ii, 18, 19, '" 7.1811tJlOI L~,," 10. II. 17, 18.

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ZI9 IItratJ"" K..".., 10. Ii, 18,35 720 Karl ('.t>bIn 10, II. Ii, 18, 36, 40. 41 • ..:s, 4i, "', f Z21 IIi1M'. HtttlIuJ"", 10.17,18.35, ~5, 4% 7.~AII_.~ • .wIIO,II,li.18,18,35

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