Scharnhorst class Black Swan Frigate German Navy

German Navy - Deutsche Marine
Scharnhorst class (Type 138) Frigate
(ex British Black Swan & modified Black Swan class sloops)

scharnhorst class frigate german navy ex royal navy black swan sloop fgs hipper graf spee scheer

Ships:

F 213 FGS Scharnhorst (1959-68)
F 214 FGS Hipper (1959-64)
F 215 FGS Graf Spee (1959-64)
F 216 FGS Scheer (1959-67)

Specifications:

Displacement: 1250 tons (original) / 1350 tons (modified)
Length: 91,29 meters (299 feet 6 inches)
Beam: 11,43 meters (37 ft 6 in) original / 11,73 meters (38 ft 6 in) modified
Draft: 3,4 meters (11 ft)
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h)
Range: 7500 NM (13900 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement: 180 (original) / 192 (modified)

Propulsion:
2 x geared steam turbines / 2 x boilers
(3600 hp / 2,68 MW - original // 4300 hp / 3,21 MW - modified)
2 shafts, 2 propellers

Armament (as built):

3 x twin 4” (101,6 mm) guns

1 x Vickers quadruple 2-pounder 40mm AA gun (original)
4 x Bofors 40mm AA guns (modified)

4 x 12,7mm AA machine guns (original)
6 x 20mm Oerlikon twin AA guns (modified)

40 x depth charges (110 modified)

Aviation:
none

overhauled, modified and refitted after transfer to German Navy
used as training & school Frigates

F 213 FGS Scharnhorst
(ex HMS Mermaid / U 30 - modified Black Swan class)

Builder: William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, Scotland, UK

Royal Navy service:
laid down: September 8, 1942
launched: November 11, 1943
commissioned: May 12, 1944
decommissioned

transferred to West Germany in 1957

German Navy service (1959-68):
modification & complete overhaul
commissioned: May 28, 1959
temporary decommissioned: spring 1961
converted
recommissioned: July 25, 1962
decommissioned: March 15, 1968
put in reserve and mothballed in 1968
stricken: September 30, 1972
converted to a static school & training unit
out of service: November 7, 1989
fate: sold for scrap; scrapped

namesake: Gerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst (1755-1813) - Prussian General

F 214 FGS Hipper
(ex HMS Actaeon / U 07 - modified Black Swan class)

Builder: John I. Thornycroft & Co., Woolston, Hampshire, UK

Royal Navy service:
laid down: May 15, 1944
launched: July 25, 1945
commissioned: July 24, 1946
decommissioned

transferred to West Germany

German Navy service (1959-64):
modification & complete overhaul
commissioned: January 10, 1959
decommissioned: July 31, 1964
fate: sold for scrap in 1967 / scrapped

namesake: Admiral Franz Ritter von Hipper (1863-1932) - German Imperial Navy

F 215 FGS Graf Spee
(ex HMS Flamingo / L 18, U 18 - Black Swan class)

Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilding, Scotstoun, Scotland, UK

Royal Navy service:
laid down: May 26, 1938
launched: April 18, 1939
commissioned: November 3, 1939
decommissioned

transferred to West Germany

German Navy service (1959-64):
modification & complete overhaul
commissioned: February 21, 1959
decommissioned: July 31, 1964
fate: sold for scrap in 1967 / scrapped

namesake: Vice Admiral Maximilian Graf von Spee (1861-1914) - died in action im WWI

F 216 FGS Scheer
(ex HMS Hart / U 58 - modified Black Swan class)

Builder: Alex Stephen, Linthouse, Scotland, UK

Royal Navy service:
laid down: March 27, 1942
launched: July 7, 1943
commissioned: December 12, 1943
decommissioned

transferred to West Germany

German Navy service (1959-67):
modification & complete overhaul
commissioned: May 21, 1959
decommissioned: December 12, 1967
fate: sold for scrap in 1971 / scrapped

namesake: Admiral Reinhard Scheer (1863-1928) - German Imperial Navy

images

f-213 fgs scharnhorst frigate german navy black swan class sloop hms mermaid u-30

F 213 FGS Scharnhorst

f-214 fgs hipper frigate german navy black swan class sloop hms actaeon u-07

F 214 FGS Hipper

f-215 fgs graf spee frigate german navy black swan class sloop hms flamingo l-18 u-18

F 215 FGS Graf Spee

f-216 fgs scheer frigate german navy black swan class sloop hms hart u-58

F 216 FGS Scheer

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