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A-class torpedo boat

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SMS A 68
Class overview
Operators
Built1914–1918
In service1914–1950
Planned113
Completed92
Cancelled21
Lost30

The A-class torpedo boats were a class of German single-funnelled torpedo boat/light destroyer designed by the Reichsmarineamt for operations off the coast of occupied Flanders in the First World War. The "A" designation was to avoid confusion with older classes and designs. They were classed officially as "coastal torpedo boats" (German: Küstentorpedoboote) to differentiate from larger, ocean-going torpedo boats.

Six groups of vessels were built under the class between 1914 and 1918, increasing in displacement from 109 to 335 t (107 to 330 long tons; 120 to 369 short tons). All had a raised forecastle, shallow draught, and carried one (for most) or two (for A1 – A25) 17.7 in (45 cm) torpedo tubes amidships.

A-I type (A1 – A25)

[edit]
General characteristics (A1 to A25)[1]
Displacement109 t (107 long tons)
Length41 m (134 ft 6 in) wl
Beam4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Draught1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Installed powerCoal-fired, single-shaft, triple-expansion steam engine, 1,200 ihp (895 kW)
Propulsion
  • 1 shaft
  • 1 × 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) propeller
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range900 nautical miles (1,700 km; 1,000 mi) at 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Complement28
Armament

All 25 were ordered in 1914, and were designed and built by A.G. 'Vulcan', at their Hamburg yard.

Name Yard No. Launched Commissioned Fate
A1 20 16 January 1915 29 January 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A2 21 17 March 1915 23 March 1915 Sunk by British destroyers on 1 May 1915 during the Battle off Noordhinder Bank.
A3 22 24 June 1915 13 July 1915 Sunk on 7 November 1915 en route from Kiel to Danzig.
A4 23 26 June 1915 30 June 1915 Surrendered at Antwerp and commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A5 24 5 May 1915 10 May 1915 Interned in the Netherlands, commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A6 25 3 April 1915 8 April 1915 Sunk by British destroyers on 1 May 1915 during the Battle off Noordhinder Bank.
A7 26 2 February 1915 19 April 1915 Sunk by British and French destroyers off the Flanders coast on 21 March 1918.
A8 27 25 April 1915 21 May 1915 Interned in the Netherlands, commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A9 28 4 August 1915 6 August 1915 Interned in the Netherlands, commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A10 29 16 August 1915 23 August 1915 Mined off Flanders on 7 February 1918.
A11 30 4 June 1915 7 June 1915 Sunk during the Kapp Putsch in 1920.
A12 31 28 April 1915 2 May 1915 Surrendered at Antwerp and commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A13 32 15 May 1915 21 May 1915 Bombed in dock at Ostend on 16 August 1917.
A14 33 22 July 1915 27 July 1915 Surrendered at Antwerp and commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A15 34 10 July 1915 15 July 1915 Sunk by French destroyers on 23 August 1915
A16 35 16 June 1915 19 June 1915 Interned in the Netherlands, commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A17 36 8 June 1915 6 July 1915 Sunk during the Kapp Putsch in 1920.
A18 37 2 July 1915 20 July 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A19 38 9 September 1915 15 October 1915 Sunk by British and French destroyers off the Flanders coast on 21 March 1918.
A20 39 27 August 1915 1 September 1915 Interned in the Netherlands, commissioned in the Belgian Navy until 1927[2]
A21 40 1 June 1915 29 June 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A22 41 22 May 1915 8 June 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A23 42 5 May 1915 29 May 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A24 43 12 June 1915 6 August 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.
A25 44 13 July 1915 27 July 1915 Surrendered and scrapped between 1921 and 1922.

History

[edit]

Sixteen A-I-class torpedo boats, A2, A4-A16, A19 and A20, were transported in sections to the Kaiserliche Werft Antwerpen in Hoboken, re-assembled and then transferred by inland canals to Bruges, much like was done with similar size Type UB I and Type UC I U-boats. These torpedo boats formed the Flanders Torpedoboat Flotilla which was part of the Naval Corps. These torpedoboats provided cover for departing and returning U-boats of the Flanders U-boat flotilla, and operated against British forces trying to block the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge with mines and ant-submarine nets. On four occasions the flotilla shelled Calais. When the torpedoboat flotilla was reinforced with larger A-II-class torpedo boats, the remaining A-I-class were converted into minehunters and commissioned on 1 April in the first Flanders Minehunter Half-Flotilla.[3]

A4, A12 and A14 were abandoned in Antwerp after the German evacuation at the end of the First World War. Taken over by Belgium. Remained operational until 1927.[2]

A5, A8, A9, A16 and A20 were interned in the Netherlands at the end of the war, and handed over to Belgium as reparations in 1919. Decommissioned in 1927 and most scrapped. A20 remained in use as training vessel and captured by Germans in 1940.[2] Scrapped 1948.[1]

A-II type (A26 – A55)

[edit]
General characteristics (A26 to A55)[4]
Displacement227–229 t (223–225 long tons)
Length49 m (160 ft 9 in) LWL
Beam5.32–5.62 m (17 ft 5 in – 18 ft 5 in)
Draught2.34 m (7 ft 8 in)
Installed powerOil-fired, single-shaft, geared turbine steam engine, 3,250 hp (2,424 kW)
Propulsion
  • 1 × shafts
  • 1 × 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range690 nautical miles (1,280 km; 790 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement29
Armament

All 30 were ordered in two batches - 24 vessels in 1915, and 6 added later. All were designed and built by F. Schichau Werke, at their Elbing yard. The second batch were 2 tonnes heavier, and had a beam of 5.2 metres (18ft 5.25in).

Name Yard No. Launched Commissioned Fate
A26 959 20 May 1916 22 July 1916 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A27 960 27 May 1916 12 August 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A28 961 10 June 1916 26 August 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A29 962 15 June 1916 9 September 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A30 963 15 July 1916 28 September 1916 Interned in the Netherlands, allocated to Belgium in 1919. Discarded in 1927.[2]
A31 964 1 July 1916 30 September 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A32 965 15 July 1916 14 October 1916
A33 966 29 July 1916 30 October 1916 Surrendered on 15 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A34 967 20 July 1916 8 November 1916 Surrendered on 15 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A35 968 19 August 1916 1 December 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A36 969 14 August 1916 27 November 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A37 970 12 August 1916 24 November 1916 Surrendered on 15 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A38 971 17 October 1916 14 March 1917 Surrendered on 15 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A39 972 12 September 1916 16 December 1916 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A40 973 2 September 1916 8 December 1916 Interned in the Netherlands, allocated to Belgium in 1919. Discarded in 1927.[2]
A41 974 8 December 1916 16 March 1917 Surrendered on 20 August 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A42 975 1 November 1916 5 January 1917 Interned in the Netherlands, allocated to Belgium in 1919. Discarded in 1927.[2]
A43 976 25 December 1916 2 April 2017 scrapped in 1943
A44 977 10 March 1917 30 April 1917 Surrendered on 15 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A45 978 8 November 1916 15 June 1917 Surrendered on 3 September 1920. Scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A46 979 24 March 1917 22 May 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A47 980 23 April 2017 22 June 1917 Interned in the Netherlands, allocated to Belgium in 1919. Discarded in 1927.[2]
A48 981 9 June 1917 31 July 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A49 982 19 May 1917 20 August 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A50 988 8 July 1917 20 August 1917 Mined in the North Sea on 17 November 1917
A51 989 16 May 1917 26 July 1917 Scuttled at Fiume on 29 October 1918.
A52 990 18 January 1917 1 April 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A53 991 3 February 1917 7 April 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A54 992 22 February 1917 14 April 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.
A55 993 10 March 1917 27 April 1917 Surrendered and scrapped between 1920 and 1921.

History

[edit]

Eleven A-II-class torpedo boats were commissioned into the Flanders Torpedoboat flotilla. Seven boats, A-39, A-40 and A-46 - A-50 were transported in sections to Hoboken and re-assembled there. Four others, A-42 - A-45 were transferred by sea.[5]

A32 was sunk during the "Operation Albion" on 25 October 1917, raised and repaired in 1923, and served as Sulev in the Estonian Navy. Taken by Russia in October 1940, it was renamed Аметист ("Amethyst") and served in the Soviet Navy as a patrol vessel, then reduced to a tender in 1942 until scrapped in 1950.[6][7]

A-III type - A. G. Vulcan design (A56 – A67, A80 – A91, and A96 – A113)

[edit]
General characteristics (A56 to A67)
(A80 to A91) and (A96 to A113)[8]
Displacement330–335 t (325–330 long tons)
Length59.3–60.12 m (194 ft 7 in – 197 ft 3 in) LWL
Beam6.42 m (21 ft 1 in)
Draught2.21–2.34 m (7 ft 3 in – 7 ft 8 in)
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW)
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) propeller
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement50
Armament

These 42 vessels were ordered in three batches - A56 to A67 in 1916, A80 to A91 in 1917, and A96 – A113 in 1918. Designed by A. G. Vulcan, who built all of them except for A83, A84 and A85, which were built by Howaldtswerke at Kiel, while the hulls of A64 to A67 were subcontracted to Seebeckwerft. None of the 1918 batch of 18 vessels were ever completed, and they were all stricken on 3 November 1918, some being up to 35% complete (these were broken up on the stocks) but none being launched.

Name Yard No. Launched Commissioned Fate
A56 476 28 February 1917 14 April 1917 Sunk by mine on 12 March 1918.
A57 477 28 February 1917 28 April 1917 Sunk by mine on 1 March 1918.
A58 478 31 March 1917 19 May 1917 Sunk by mine on 16 August 1918.
A59 479 13 April 1917 9 June 1917 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A60 480 15 May 1917 23 June 1917 Sunk by mine on 23 June 1917.
A61 481 15 May 1917 11 July 1917 Surrendered to Britain on 15 September 1920. Scrapped in 1923.
A62 482 8 June 1917 25 July 1917 Surrendered to Britain on 15 September 1920. Scrapped in 1923.
A63 483 16 June 1917 11 August 1917 Surrendered to France on 30 September 1920. Scrapped in 1923.
A64 484 30 March 1918 8 August 1918 Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A65 485 30 March 1918 24 August 1918 Surrendered on 3 September 1920. Given to Brazil, scuttled in Britain.
A66 486 23 June 1918 20 September 1918 Surrendered to France on 30 September 1920. Scrapped in 1923.
A67 487 23 June 1918 not completed Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919.
A80 514 24 October 1917 21 December 1917 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A81 515 27 November 1917 10 January 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A82 516 27 March 1918 1 June 1918 Scuttlked at Fiume on 29 October 1918.
A83 614 18 May 1918 28 May 1918 Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919.
A84 615 18 May 1918 19 April 1918 Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919
A85 616 18 May 1918 6 June 1918 Stricken (incompleted) on 3 November 1919
A86 535 5 February 1918 16 March 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A87 536 21 February 1918 8 April 1918 Surrendered on 15 September 1920 and scrapped.
A88 537 2 March 1918 27 April 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A89 538 22 March 1918 14 May 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A90 539 6 April 1918 6 June 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A91 540 27 April 1918 22 June 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920 and scrapped.
A96
- A113		 575
- 592		 none launched Stricken on
3 November 1918

History

[edit]

Four A-III-class torpedo boats A58-A61 were commissioned in the Flanders Torpedoboat Flotilla in 1917.[9] A59, A60 and A61 caused severe damage to HMS Terror on 19 October 1917.[10]

A59, A64 and A80 were transferred to Poland in 1921, becoming ORP Ślązak, ORP Krakowiak and ORP Góral respectively. Ślązak became target ship in 1937 and was captured by the Germans in 1939. Sunk under tow. Krakowiak was stricken in October 1936 and scrapped.[11] Góral was renamed Podhalanin in 1922. She was converted to oil hulk in 1939 and sunk by German bombers while under tow on 24 September 1939.[12]

A-III type - Schichau 1916 design (A68 – A79)

[edit]
General characteristics (A68 to A79)[8]
Displacement330 t (325 long tons)
Length60.2 m (197 ft 6 in) LWL
Beam6.41 m (21 ft 0 in)
Draught2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 5,700 shp (4,250 kW)
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement50[8]
Armament
  • 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns
  • 1 × 17.7 in (45 cm) torpedo tube

These twelve vessels were ordered in 1916, and were designed and built by F. Schichau at Elbing.

Name Yard No. Launched Commissioned Fate
A68 994 11 April 1917 13 June 1917 Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A69 995 28 April 1917 4 July 1917 Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A70 996 19 May 1917 23 July 1917 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A71 997 9 June 1917 13 August 1917 Sunk by mine on 4 May 1918.
A72 998 30 June 1917 1 September 1917 Sunk by mine on 14 May 1918.
A73 999 7 July 1917 21 September 1917 Sunk by mine on 20 January 1918.
A74 1000 4 August 1917 9 October 1917 Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A75 1001 11 August 1917 26 October 1917 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A76 1002 1 September 1917 12 November 1917 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A77 1003 22 September 1917 27 November 1917 Sunk by mine on 20 January 1918.
A78 1004 13 October 1917 15 December 1917 Surrendered on 3 September 1920.
A79 1005 8 November 1917 12 January 1918 Sunk by mine on 10 July 1918.
  • A68 was transferred to Poland in 1921, becoming ORP Kujawiak. Converted to oil hulk 1939. Sunk by German bombers 3 September 1939 off Danzig.[12]
  • A68, A69, A70, A74, A75, A76, and A78 all surrendered in September 1920 (and so were stricken) and were scrapped in 1922/23.
  • A71, A72, A73, A77 and A79 were all sunk by mines in the North Sea during 1918.

A-III type - Schichau 1917 design (A92 – A95)

[edit]
General characteristics (A92 to A95)
identical to A68 to A79 batch except:[8]
Length59.4 m (194 ft 11 in) wl
Draught2.08–2.12 m (6 ft 10 in – 6 ft 11 in)
Installed powerOil-fired, geared turbine steam engine, 5,700–6,000 shp (4,250–4,474 kW)
Propulsion
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed26.5 knots (49.1 km/h; 30.5 mph)

These last four vessels were designed and built by F. Schichau Werke, at their Elbing yard, with a slight variation in their dimensions from the 1916 design. The first two served in a minesweeper flotilla and the last two in an escort flotilla prior to the surrender.

Name Yard No. Launched Commissioned Fate
A92 1019 16 March 1918 24 May 1918 Surrendered on 15 September 1920.
A93 1020 9 April 1918 18 June 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A94 1021 27 April 1918 19 July 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
A95 1022 25 May 1918 19 August 1918 Surrendered on 30 September 1920.
  • All four vessels were scrapped at Bo'ness in 1923 (A93 in 1922).

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Gröner 1983, p. 36.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dodson 2019, p. 136.
  3. ^ De Groot 2017, pp. 182–184.
  4. ^ Gröner 1983, p. 37.
  5. ^ De Groot 2017, p. 183.
  6. ^ "Sulev". hot.ee (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  7. ^ Архив фотографий кораблей русского и советского ВМФ [Photo Archive of the Russian and Soviet Navy]. navsource.narod.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  8. ^ a b c d Gröner 1983, p. 38.
  9. ^ De Groot 2017, p. 184.
  10. ^ Buxton, Ian (2008) [First published 1978]. Big gun monitors : design, construction and operations 1914-1945 (2nd Revised ed.). Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword. c. 8.4 para. 7. ISBN 978-1-84415-719-8.
  11. ^ Dodson 2019, pp. 134, 142–143.
  12. ^ a b Dodson 2019, pp. 134–135, 142–143.

References

[edit]
  • De Groot, Bas (2017). Het Duitse Marinekorps in Vlaanderen 1914-1918. De land-, zee- en luchtoorlog [The German Naval Corps in Flanders 1914-1918. The war at land, on the sea and in the air.] (in Dutch). Soesterberg: Aspekt. ISBN 9789463380478.
  • Dodson, Aidan (2019). "Beyond the Kaiser: The IGN's Destroyers and Torpedo Boats After 1918". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2019. Oxford, UK: Osprey. pp. 129–144. ISBN 978-1-4728-3595-6.
  • Gröner, Erich (1983). Torpedoboote, Zerstörer, Schnellboote, Minensuchboote, Minenräumboote. Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945. Vol. II. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4801-6.
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