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fighting ships of the world

KRIEGSMARINE (GERMANY)

MINE WARFARE SHIPS

R17 minesweeping boats (1935-1938)

R17 1935

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
R17   798 Schlichting-Werft, Travemünde     10.1935 sunk 10.4.1940
R18   2874 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     8.1935 surrendered 5.1945, to Denmark 12.1945 (MR18), BU 1947
R19   2875 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     10.1935 sunk 16.9.1943
R20   2876 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     12.1935 sunk 16.8.1944
R21   2977 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     11.1937 surrendered 5.1945, to United Kingdom 12.1947, BU
R22   2978 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     10.1937 surrendered 5.1945, to USA 10.1947, sold mercantile
R23   2979 Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder     1.1938 surrendered 5.1945, to Soviet Union 10.1945 (تز-1001 [KT-1001])
R24   815 Schlichting-Werft, Travemünde     12.1937 surrendered 5.1945, foundered 16.5.1949

 

Displacement standard, t

 

Displacement full, t

R17 - 20: 120

R21 - 24: 124

Length, m

R17 - 20: 36.9

R21 - 24: 37.0

Breadth, m

R17 - 20: 5.44

R21 - 24: 5.77

Draught, m

R17 - 20: 1.30 normal 1.38 deep load

R21 - 24: 1.35 normal 1.38 deep load

No of shafts

2 Voith-Schneider

Machinery

2 MAN diesels

Power, h. p.

R17 - 20, 22 - 24: 1800

R21: 2200

Max speed, kts

21

Fuel, t

diesel oil 10.8

Endurance, nm(kts) 900(15)

Armament

2 x 1 - 20/65 C/30, 12 mines, mechanical minesweeping gear

Complement

R17 - 20: 16 - 17

R21 - 24: 21 - 27

Project history: Motor minesweeping boats, or R-boats (Räumboote) were developed for shallow water areas, but actually became multi-purpose ships for operations in inshore waters; besides the basic purpose, they were used as patrol, anti-submarine and rescue ships. The prototype was created by F.Lürssen on the basis of F type minesweeping boat of WWI period.

All had composite hulls. Usage of minesweeping gear was supposed at heaving to 6 on the Beaufort scale.

Modernizations: 1943, most survived: - 2 x 1 - 20/65 C/30; + 2 x 2 - 20/65 C/38, 2 x 1 - 20/65 C/38, DCR

1944, some survived: + 1 x 1 - 86 R Ag M42/43 AA RL

Naval service: R17 was sunk by Norwegian minelayer Olav Tryggvason. R19 was sunk by Allied aircraft. R20 was sunk by German mine.

R19

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14