German torpedo boat T34

Sister ship T35 in US service, August 1945
History
Nazi Germany
Name: T34
Ordered: 20 January 1941
Builder: Schichau, Elbing, East Prussia
Yard number: 1516
Laid down: 5 March 1943
Launched: 23 October 1943
Completed: 12 August 1944
Fate: Sunk by mine, 20 November 1944
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Type 39 torpedo boat
Displacement:
Length: 102.5 m (336 ft 3 in) o/a
Beam: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft: 3.22 m (10 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 33.5 knots (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph)
Range: 2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement: 206
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:

The German torpedo boat T34 was one of 15 Type 39 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) 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.

Design and description

The Type 39 torpedo boat was conceived as a general-purpose design, much larger than preceding German torpedo boats.[1] The boats had an overall length of 102.5 meters (336 ft 3 in) and were 97 meters (318 ft 3 in) long at the waterline. They had a beam of 10 meters (32 ft 10 in), a draft of 3.22 meters (10 ft 7 in) at deep load and displaced 1,294 metric tons (1,274 long tons) at standard load and 1,754 metric tons (1,726 long tons) at deep load.[2] Their crew numbered 206 officers and sailors.[3] The Type 39s were fitted with a pair of geared steam turbine sets, each driving one propeller, were designed to produce 32,000 shaft horsepower (24,000 kW) using steam from four high-pressure water-tube boilers which were designed to propel the boats at 33.5 knots (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph). They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[4]

As built, the Type 39 boats mounted four 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 guns in single mounts; one forward of the superstructure, one between the funnels, and two aft, one superfiring over the other. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by four 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA guns in two twin-gun mounts on platforms abaft the rear funnel and six 2 cm (0.8 in) C/38 guns in one quadruple mount on the aft superstructure and a pair of single mounts on the bridge wings. The second batch ships (T31–T36) replaced the single mounts with quadruple mounts. They carried six above-water 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts and could also carry 30 mines (or 60 if the weather was good). For anti-submarine work the boats were fitted with a S-Gërat sonar and four depth charge launchers. The Type 39s were equipped with a FuMO 21[Note 1] radar and various FumB[Note 2] radar detectors were installed late in the war.[5]

Construction and career

T35 was ordered on 20 January 1941 from Schichau, laid down at their Elbing, East Prussia, shipyard on 5 March 1943 as yard number 1516, launched on 23 October 1943 and commissioned on 12 August 1944. While engaged in gunnery practice with the radio-controlled target ship Hessen in the Baltic on 20 November, the boat struck a mine and sank off Cape Arkona at 54°40′N 13°29′E / 54.667°N 13.483°E / 54.667; 13.483Coordinates: 54°40′N 13°29′E / 54.667°N 13.483°E / 54.667; 13.483 with the loss of 62 crewmen.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ German: Funkmess-Ortung (Radio-direction finder, active ranging)
  2. ↑ German: Funkmess-Beobachtung (passive radar detector).

Citations

  1. ↑ Whitley 1991, p. 52
  2. ↑ Gröner, p. 195
  3. ↑ Gardiner & Chesneau, p. 239
  4. ↑ Whitley 1991, pp. 54, 203
  5. ↑ Friedman, p. 205; Whitley 1991, pp. 52–55; Whitley 2000, p. 73
  6. ↑ Gröner, p. 196; Rohwer, p. 361; Whitley 1991, pp. 180, 212

References

  • Friedman, Norman (1981). Naval Radar. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-238-2.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conways All the Worlds Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Gröner, Erich (1990). German Warships: 1815–1945. Volume 1: Major Surface Warships. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-790-9.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1991). German Destroyers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-302-8.
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