K-class sloop

HNLMS Van Speijk (K3) after World War II
Class overview
Name: K class
Builders: P. Smit Jr, Rotterdam (2)
Gusto N.V., Schiedam (1)
Operators:  Royal Netherlands Navy
 Kriegsmarine
Built: 1939–1941
Planned: 7
Completed: 3
General characteristics
Type:sloop
Displacement:As designed:
1,267 tons
1470 tons (full load)
As completed:
1,200 tons
1420 tons (full load)
Length:77.9 m (255 ft 7 in)
Beam:10.3 m (33 ft 10 in)
Draught:3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:As designed:
3,500 ihp (2,600 kW), two shafts
As completed:
2,770 ihp (2,070 kW), two shafts (K1)
3,500 ihp (2,600 kW), two shafts (K2 and K3)
Speed:As designed:
19 knots (35 km/h)
As completed:
14.5 knots (26.9 km/h) (K1 and K2)
18 knots (33 km/h) (K3)
Complement:As designed:
99
As completed:
161-184
Armament:As designed:
4 × 12 cm (4.7 in) (2 × 2)
4 × 4 cm (1.6 in) (2 × 2)
4 × .50 MG As completed:
4 × 12 cm (4.7 in) (2 × 2)
4 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) (2 × 2)
12 × 2 cm (0.79 in) (2x4 and 2x2)
Armour:2 cm (0.79 in) to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) deck
3.7 centimetres (1.5 in) to 6 centimetres (2.4 in) Belt
6 centimetres (2.4 in)Turrets

The K class was a class of three sloops designed in the late 1930s to replace the aging Brinio-class gunboats of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Originally seven ships where planned of which three ships where laid down and two more ordered (which were canceled after the German invasion). Still incomplete at the start of the German invasion of the Netherlands and not yet launched, the ships were found undamaged by the German forces. The Kriegsmarine ordered the completion of K1, K2 and K3, then commissioned them for service in Norwegian and German home waters. After the war only K3 entered Dutch service as the Van Speijk.

Construction

K1 and K3 were laid down at the P. Smit Jr, Rotterdam shipyard in 1939. K2 was laid down at Gusto N.V., Schiedam shipyard also in 1939. Still incomplete at the start of the German invasion of the Netherlands and not yet launched, the ships where found undamaged by the German forces and the Kriegsmarine ordered the completion of K1, K2 and K3. K1 was launched on 23 November 1940. Both K2 and K3 where launched in 1941 on 28 June and 22 March. The ships where commissioned in 1941 and 1942.

Service history

The ships saw service in Norwegian and German home waters. K1 sank near Aarhus on 5 May 1945. K2 was found in Horten in 1945 and towed back to the Delfzijl where she sank by accident in November of that year. The ship was raised the next year on 26 July and towed to Den Helder where she was sold for scrap in October 1947 after inspection. After the war only K3 entered Dutch service as the Van Speijk after she was repaired at the Rijkswerf at Amsterdam. The ship was sold for scrap 29 August 1960.

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