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Character Profiles
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Post-WWI Torpedo
Boat Torpedoboote and WWII Fleet Torpedo Boat Flottentorpedoboote
(profile
contributed by Justin "LooseCannon" Riggir)
Two
ships of a Torpedo-Boat Flotilla at sea
A Royal Navy destroyer's torpedo tubes
Following the practice established before World War I, the German Navy
referred to its small destroyers as torpedo boats, and the construction
of both types continued in parallel. The vessels built under the Versailles
Treaty and later international agreements were named, and from 1939 onwards
numbers were substituted, preceded by 'T' for Torpedobotte. These
prewar torpedo boats were 900-tonners, and were about 50 percent above
the permitted displacement, with main armament in addition to the normal
torpedoes. Additionally, seakeeping qualities ranked below weight of armament,
and they did not perform as well in service as their smaller contemporaries
in the Royal Navy. They were unsuited to exposure to the bad weather conditions
of the North Atlantic and fared better in the English Channel and Baltic
Sea.
This design again changed just prior to World War II, with ships designed
for torpedo use only. The Fleet Torpedo Boats designed and built during
the war again reverted to the small destroyer design, with the additional
capabilities to provide close support and lay mines.
1935 Type T1 Torpedoboote
Becoming fully operational at the end of 1940 as the First Torpedoboote
Flotilla consisting of T1 to T6, and the Second Torpedobotte Flotilla,
consisting of T7 to T12, the ships of this class took part in operations
near Jutland and the laying of mines in the North Sea, and were transferred
to France in 1940. After a short period in Germany, the First Torpedoboote
Flotilla was transferred to Norway and disbanded in August 1941, with
T1 to T5 being absorbed into the Second Torpedoboote Flotilla,
which had also transferred to Norway. After operations in Norway , some
of these ships provided close support during the invasion of the Soviet
Union, and most participated in Operation Cerberus in February, 1942 when
the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen were extricated
from Brest and under the protection of a huge umbrella of aircraft together
with an escort of destroyers and torpedo boats, swept past the Dover Straits
and brushed aside attacks from coastal guns, destroyers, motor torpedo
boats and aircraft. The remaining ships were transferred to the torpedo
training school in the Baltic Sea until mid 1943, and from 1944 on, the
Second Torpedoboote Flotilla was used for escort duties in the
Baltic Sea.
Of the twelve ships of this class, the first ship T1 was launched on February
19, 1938 and commissioned on December 2, 1939 and the last ship T12 was
launched on August 20, 1938 and commissioned on April 12, 1939.
T01
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 839 to 844 tons standard and 1,082 to 1,088 tons
full
Dimensions: 276.5 (o.a.) x 28.5 x 9.6 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 31,000 hp, 2 shafts, 34.5 to 35.5
knots
Oil Fired: 205 tons (1,070 miles at 19 knots and 600 miles at 35
knots)
Armament: 1 x 4.1 inch gun , 1 x 37 mm and 2 x 20 mm AA guns ,
2 x 3 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes , 60 mines
Crew: 119
1937 Type T13 Torpedoboote
The Torpedoboote 1935 class was slightly improved to become the
Torpedoboote 1937 class. In an effort to increase reliability the
engine pressure was reduced, however this was unsuccessful. As with the
Torpedoboote 1935 class, the unbalanced weight of armament was
of little use. This class became operational as the Third Torpedoboote
Flotilla with most ships, T13 to T19, being based in France and T20 and
T21 being based in Norway until mid-1943 when they were transferred to
the torpedo training school in the Baltic Sea and many of them were used
for U-boat training. At the end of 1944, they were attached to the Kriegsmarine
units operating in the Baltic Sea, where they were used for escort duties
and were also used to provide close support. Most of the Third Torpedoboote
Flotilla again saw service during Operation Cerberus in February, 1942.
Of the nine ships of this class, the first ship T13 was launched on June
15, 1939 and commissioned on May 31,1941 and the last ship T21 was launched
during November 1941 and commissioned on July 11, 1942. An additional
nine were ordered however were not laid down. During refits the light
AA armament was often augmented by replacing the aft set of torpedo tubes
with one 40 mm gun, and the addition of one 37 mm gun and ten 20 mm (2
x 4 and 2 x 1)guns.
T19
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 853 tons standard and 1,098 tons full
Dimensions: 278.75 (o.a.) x 29.25 x 10.25 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 31,000 hp, 2 shafts, 35.5 knots
Oil Fired: 216 tons (3,000 miles at 19 knots)
Armament: 1 x 4.1 inch gun , 1 x 37 mm and 2 x 20 mm AA guns ,
2 x 3 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes , 38 mines
Crew: 119
1939 Type T22 Flottentorpedoboote
In an effort to correct the faults of the unsuccessful Torpedoboote
1935 and 1937 classes, a radical change in German torpedo boat design
took place. Unlike their predecessors which had been designed primarily
for torpedo attacks, the new class of Flottentorpedoboote were
multi-purpose ships, with the additional abilities of anti-aircraft defense
and escort duty. They were among the largest German vessels to be considered
Torpedo Boats, and were more of a small destroyer or frigate class, similar
to British pre-war destroyers in both size and characteristics, and represented
an altogether more useful type of medium-sized destroyer with reasonable
endurance and armament. They were distinguishable by their large superstructure
mounted well forward. T22 to T29 were commissioned into the Fourth Torpedoboote
Flotilla based in France, of these the surviving T22 and T23 were transferred
to join T30 to T32 in the Sixth Torpedoboote Flotilla based in
the Baltic Sea, and T33 to T36 were commissioned into the Fifth Torpedoboote
Flotilla, again based in the Baltic Sea. Several ships survived World
War II, and served in the French and Russian navies until the 1950's.
Of the fifteen ships of this class, the first ship T22 was commissioned
on February 12, 1942 and the last ship T36 was launched during 1944 and
commissioned on December 9, 1944. An additional fifteen were ordered in
1941 however were not laid down.
T23
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 1,294 tons standard and 1,754 tons full
Dimensions: 318.2 (o.a.) x 38.2 x 10.5 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 32,000 hp, 2 shafts, 33.5 knots
Oil Fired: 401 tons (5,000 miles at 19 knots)
Armament: 4 x 4.1 inch guns , 4 x 37 mm AA guns , 2 x 3 x 21 inch
Torpedo Tubes , 50 to 60 mines
Crew: 198
1940 Program Flottentorpedoboote
This class of ship were ordered after the invasion of the Netherlands
in 1940, when it was found that the Dutch shipyards had suffered minimal
damage. This class of ship was based on a Dutch design, and was more a
destroyer than a torpedo boat . Of the twenty four ordered during the
period 1940-41, eight were laid down and three launched during 1944, however
none were completed. Some of the incomplete ships were transferred to
the Baltic Sea for completion, and were either destroyed or captured by
the Allies at the end the war. Some of the remaining material was later
used for the first Dutch destroyers built post-war.
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 2,587 tons standard
Dimensions: 374 (o.a.) x 36.9 x 12.6 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 45,000 hp, 2 shafts, 35 knots
Oil Fired: 400 tons (2,350 miles at 19 knots)
Armament: 4 x 5 inch guns , 4 x 37 mm and 16 x 20 mm AA guns ,
2 x 4 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes , 50 mines , 4 x depth charge launchers
Crew: 200
1941 Program Flottentorpedoboote
This class was based on the successful Flottentorpedoboote 1939
class with numerous improvements, having more powerful engines and additional
AA defense. Of the fifteen ordered during the period 1942-44, nine were
launched during 1944 however none were completed.
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 2,190 tons standard
Dimensions: 347.7 (o.a.) x 35 x 12.2 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 40,000 hp, 2 shafts, 34 knots
Oil Fired: 350 tons (2,800 miles at 19 knots)
Armament: 4 x 4.1 inch guns , 6 x 37 mm and 8 x 20 mm AA guns ,
2 x 3 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes , 50 to 60 mines , 4 x depth charge launchers
Crew: 190
1944 Program Flottentorpedoboote
The projected Flottentorpedoboote 1944 class was planned after
another radical change in torpedo boat design. Unlike the previous classes
which had been designed to operate in either coastal waters or the North
Sea, the Flottentorpedoboote 1944 class was designed to operate
with other Kriegsmarine units in the North Atlantic. Nine were
projected however none of this class were laid down.
Typical Specifications
Displacement: 1,794 tons standard
Dimensions: 337.9 (o.a.) x 33 x 12 feet
Propulsion: 4 Wagner Boilers, 52,000 hp, 2 shafts, 37 knots
Oil Fired: 625 tons (4,500 miles at 19 knots)
Armament: 4 x 4.1 inch guns , 6 x 30 mm AA guns , 2 x 3 x 21 inch
Torpedo Tubes , 60 mines , 4 x depth charge launchers
Crew: 180
Sources: German Warships of the Second World War by H.T.
Lenton, Navies of World War II by Antony Preston and The
World's Warships - An extensive site on Warships both past and present,
who also kindly provided the images of T01, T19 and T23.
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