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fighting ships of the world

KRIEGSMARINE / GERMAN NAVY (GERMANY / WEST GERMANY)

COASTAL FORCES

S139 motor torpedo boats (1943-1945)

S139 1943

UW11 1960

Project history: Torpedo motorboats (Schnellboote) were the development of successful prototype created by F. Lürssen in 1929. General characteristic lines for all series were round-bilge hull with small deadrise, triple-shaft diesel machinery, presence of two auxiliary rudders for creation of "Lürssen effect" (fitting of rudders under an angle to centreline for speed increase) and a bow arrangement of two TTs. Composite hull included light alloy framing, wooden planking and steel engine seating.

Boats had a forecastle; there were conical deck houses, which were protected by 10-12mm armour. Besides two torpedoes in tubes, all S-boats could carry two spare torpedoes (or 4-6 mines). Artillery in days of war was continuously strengthened.

Ship protection: Boats had armoured CT and bridge.

Modernizations: 1948, S208: unarmed, Napier-Deltic diesels (9000hp, 39kts, 20t of diesel oil)

UW11 3.1957 was recommissioned with data as given in the table.

Naval service: S139 and S140 were lost 7.6.1944 on mines in La Manche; S141 and S147 respectively 12.5.1944 and 25.4.1944 were sunk by French escort destroyer La Combattante in La Manche; S142, S143, S144, S146, S150, S169, S171, S172, S173, S187 and S188 were sunk 15.6.1944 by British aircraft at Le Havre; S145 was sunk 18.9.1944 by British aircraft at Brest; S148 was lost 22.8.1944 on a mine in a mouth of Danube; S149 was sunk 20.8.1944 by Soviet aircraft at Constanza; S167 was sunk 22.2.1945 as a result of collision at Dutch coast; S176 and S177 were lost 7.5.1945 in battle against British MTBs in the North Sea; S178, S179 and S189 were sunk 13.6.1944 by British aircraft in La Manche; S180 was lost 14.1.1945 on German mine in the North Sea; S181 was sunk 21.3.1945 by British aircraft at Den Helder; S182 27.7.1944 was rammed by British MTB430 and sunk by gunfire of MTB412 in La Manche; S183 and S200 were sunk 18.9.1944 by British frigate Stayner and MTB724 and MTB728 at coast of Flanders; S184 was sunk 5.9.1944 by British coast battery at Dover; S185 and S192 were sunk 23.12.1944 by British frigates Torrington, Curzon and Kittiwake at Ostend; S186, S194 and S224 were lost 30.3.1945 during raid of American bombers to Wilhelmshaven; S190 was scuttled 23.6.1944 after battle against British destroyers in La Manche; S191 was sunk 7.5.1945 as result of collision with S301 in the North Sea; S193 was sunk 22.2.1945 by British ships in a mouth of Thames; S198 was sunk 15.12.1944 by British aircraft at Ijmuiden; S199 was scuttled 23.1.1945 after collision with S701 in the North Sea; S201 was scuttled 3.5.1945 at Kiel; S202 8.4.1945 collided with S703 in the North Sea and was sunk by British boats; S203 was lost 21.3.1945 on a mine at Den Helder; S220 was sunk 1.3.1945 by British frigate Seymour at Ostend; S223 was lost 8.4.1945 on a mine at Dutch coast; S226 was sunk 6.5.1945 by British aircraft at Danish coast. After war 8 boats were transferred to the USSR, 5 to Denmark and 3 to Norway.

    S208 was returned by United Kingdom in 1951 and used as fishery protection vessel. She was commissioned in May 1957 by West German navy as ASW training boat.

S142

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-16