German destroyer Z6 Theodor Riedel

Z5 Paul Jakobi c. 1938
Career (Nazi Germany)
Name: Z6 Theodor Riedel
Namesake: Theodor Riedel
Ordered: 9 January 1935
Builder: DeSchiMAG, Bremen
Yard number: W900
Laid down: 18 July 1935
Launched: 22 April 1936
Completed: 2 July 1937
Captured: May 1945
Career (France)
Name: Kléber, 4 February 1946
Namesake: Jean Baptiste Kléber
Acquired: January 1946
Out of service: 20 December 1953
Renamed: Q85, 10 April 1957
Reclassified: Hulked, 10 April 1957
Struck: 10 April 1957
Fate: Sold for scrap, 1957
General characteristics as built
Class and type:Type 1934A-class destroyer
Displacement:2,171 metric tons (2,137 long tons)
Length:119 m (390 ft 5 in) o/a
114 m (374 ft 0 in) w/l
Beam:11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draft:4.23 m (13 ft 11 in)
Installed power:70,000 shp (52,000 kW)
Propulsion:2 shafts, 2 × Wagner geared steam turbines
6 × water-tube boilers
Speed:36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range:1,825 nmi (3,380 km; 2,100 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement:325
Armament:5 × 1 - 12.7 cm (5 in) guns
2 × 2 - 3.7 cm (1.5 in) guns
6 × 1 - 2 cm (0.79 in) guns
2 × 4 - 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes
60 mines
32–64 depth charges, 4 throwers and 6 individual racks

Z6 Theodor Riedel was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s.

Design and description

Theodor Riedel had an overall length of 119 meters (390 ft 5 in) and was 114 meters (374 ft 0 in) long at the waterline. The ship had a beam of 11.3 meters (37 ft 1 in), and a maximum draft of 4.23 meters (13 ft 11 in). She displaced 2,171 metric tons (2,137 long tons) at standard and 3,110 metric tons (3,060 long tons) at deep load. The Wagner geared steam turbines were designed to produce 70,000 shaft horsepower (52,199 kW) which would propel the ship at 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Steam was provided to the turbines by six high-pressure Wagner boilers[1] with superheaters. Theodor Riedel carried a maximum of 752 metric tons (740 long tons) of fuel oil which was intended to give a range of 4,400 nmi (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph), but the ship proved top-heavy in service and 30% of the fuel had to be retained as ballast low in the ship.[2] The effective range proved to be only 1,825 nmi (3,380 km; 2,100 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[1]

Theodor Riedel carried five 12.7 cm SK C/34 guns in single mounts with gun shields, two each superimposed, fore and aft. The fifth gun was carried on top of the rear deckhouse. Her anti-aircraft armament consisted of four 3.7 cm SK C/30 guns in two twin mounts abreast the rear funnel and six 2 cm C/30 guns in single mounts. The ship carried eight above-water 53.3-centimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in two power-operated mounts.[1][3] Four depth charge throwers were mounted on the sides of the rear deckhouse and they were supplemented by six racks for individual depth charges on the sides of the stern. Enough depth charges were carried for either two or four patterns of 16 charges each.[4] Mine rails were fitted on the rear deck that had a maximum capacity of 60 mines.[1]

Career

The ship was ordered on 9 January 1935 and laid down at DeSchiMAG, Bremen on 18 July 1935 as yard number W900. She was launched on 22 April 1936 and completed on 2 July 1937.[5]

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Groener, p. 199
  2. Whitley 1983, p. 26
  3. Whitley 1983, p. 23
  4. Whitley 1983, p. 299
  5. Whitley 1983, p. 269

References

External links