HNoMS Olav Tryggvason

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Career
Norwegian minelayer Olav Tryggvason.
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	21 December 1932
Commissioned:	1 July 1934
Fate:
General characteristics
Displacement:	1924 or 1596 tons (sources disagree)
Dimensions:	97 m x 11.5 m x 3.6 m
Armament:	4 x 12 cm (4.72 inch) guns 1 x 76 mm (3 inch) AA gun 2 x 47 mm (1.85 inch) automatic AA guns 4 x 46 cm torpedo tubes Mines
Propulsion:	6000 hp ( Kw), 23 knop ( km/h, mph)
Crew:	175 or 132 (sources disagree)

The minelayer HNoMS Olav Tryggvason was built for the Royal Norwegian Navy by the Naval yard in Horten in the early 1930's. She was considered a well armed and well balanced ship, with an engineplant consisting of both steamturbines and diesel engines.

Olav Tryggvason was at Horten for repair when the Germans invaded on 9 April 1940. Along with the other vessels present, and shore based defences, she defended the harbor against the German torpedo boats Albatros, Kondor and räumboots R17 and R27. At some point during the battle, the light cruiser Emden arrived in the harbour, and was taken under fire and damaged as well. During the confusing battle at close range, Albatros and R17 was sunk by Olav Tryggvason. Despite the best efforts of the Norwegian ships, R27 managed to land a small force of infantry in the harbour, before she blew up after repeated hits. At 07:35, after treats of areal bombardment of the naval base and the city right next to it, as well as a misguided impression of the size of the German landing force, the Norwegian forces surrendered. Olav Tryggvason was taken into German service and renamed Albatross II, to commemorate the torpedo-boat she had sunk.

Olav Tryggvason was build number 119 at Horten Naval yard. Her name is a reference to Olaf I of Norway, king of Norway roughtly from 995 to 1000.