Английская Википедия:Admiral Hipper-class cruiser
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use shortened footnotes
The Шаблон:Lang class was a group of five heavy cruisers built by Nazi Germany's Шаблон:Lang beginning in the mid-1930s. The class comprised Шаблон:Ship, the lead ship, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, and Шаблон:Ship. Only the first three ships of the class saw action with the German Navy during World War II. Work on Шаблон:Lang stopped when she was approximately 95 percent complete; it was decided to convert her into an aircraft carrier, but this was not completed either. Шаблон:Lang was sold incomplete to the Soviet Union in 1940.
Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang took part in Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Norway in April 1940. Шаблон:Lang was sunk by Norwegian coastal defenses outside Oslo while Шаблон:Lang led the attack on Trondheim. She then conducted sorties into the Atlantic to attack Allied merchant shipping. In 1942, she was deployed to northern Norway to attack shipping to the Soviet Union, culminating in the Battle of the Barents Sea in December 1942, where she was damaged by British cruisers. Шаблон:Lang saw her first action during Operation Rheinübung with the battleship Шаблон:Ship. She eventually returned to Germany during the Channel Dash in 1942, after which she too went to Norway. After being torpedoed by a British submarine, she returned to Germany for repairs. Шаблон:Lang, while decommissioned after returning to Germany in early 1943, was partially repaired and recommissioned in the fall of 1944 for a refugee transport mission in 1945. Only Шаблон:Lang continued to serve in full commission and stayed in the Baltic until the end of the war.
Шаблон:Lang was scuttled in Kiel in May 1945, leaving Шаблон:Lang as the only member of the class to survive the war. She was ceded to the United States Navy, which ultimately expended the ship in the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in 1946. Шаблон:Lang was towed to Königsberg and scuttled before the advancing Soviet Army could seize the ship. She was ultimately raised and broken up for scrap. Шаблон:Lang, renamed Шаблон:Lang, remained unfinished when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. The ship provided artillery support against advancing German forces until she was sunk in September 1941. She was raised a year later and repaired enough to participate in the campaign to relieve the Siege of Leningrad in 1944. She served on in secondary roles until the 1950s, when she was broken up.
Design
Development
Article 181 of the Treaty of Versailles limited the German Шаблон:Lang to six battleships of the "Шаблон:SMS or Шаблон:SMS types" and six old light cruisers.Шаблон:Refn These obsolete ships could not be replaced until they were at least twenty years old, and their replacements could displace no more than Шаблон:Convert and Шаблон:Convert, respectively.Шаблон:Refn In February 1922, the major naval powers signed the Washington Naval Treaty; Germany was not invited to attend, but she would be held to the same qualitative limitations as the signatories. By the early 1920s, the cruisers of the Шаблон:Lang were old enough to permit replacement; Шаблон:Ship, the three Шаблон:Sclasss, and the two Шаблон:Sclasss were built later in the decade to replace the older vessels.Шаблон:Sfn
The 1930 London Naval Treaty formally divided cruiser types into two categories: heavy cruisers, armed with Шаблон:Cvt guns, and light cruisers, armed with Шаблон:Convert guns. The Treaty of Versailles still prohibited Germany from building heavy cruisers,Шаблон:Sfn but the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party to power in 1933 led to the formal rejection of the Treaty of Versailles. After pulling out of the Geneva Conference in 1933, Hitler argued that if the other European powers did not disarm to parity with Germany, they should accept German rearmament.Шаблон:Sfn The German navy, renamed the Шаблон:Lang on 21 May 1935, was now free to pursue rearmament. Germany concluded the Anglo-German Naval Agreement with Great Britain, which set German naval strength at 35% of the size of the Royal Navy.Шаблон:Sfn This permitted Germany to build Шаблон:Convert of heavy cruisers, enough for five 10,000-ton ships.Шаблон:Sfn
The design for the first three of the five Шаблон:Lang-class ships was prepared in 1934–1935.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were initially designed as light cruisers; their design was prepared in 1934–1936.Шаблон:Sfn These last two ships were to be armed with four triple turrets housing Шаблон:Convert guns, as opposed to the four twin 20.3 cm guns on the first three ships. The "light cruisers" were otherwise planned to follow the same particulars as their three "heavy" half-sisters.Шаблон:Sfn On 14 November 1936, the Navy decided to complete the final two ships identically to the other members of the class.Шаблон:Sfn
General characteristics
The ships of the Шаблон:Lang class varied slightly in size. Шаблон:Lang was Шаблон:Convert long at the waterline and Шаблон:Convert overall. After the installation of a clipper bow during fitting out, her overall length increased to Шаблон:Convert. The ship had a beam of Шаблон:Convert. Шаблон:Lang was Шаблон:Convert long at the waterline and Шаблон:Convert overall; with the clipper bow, her overall length was Шаблон:Convert. Her beam was Шаблон:Convert. Both ships had a designed draft of Шаблон:Convert and a full load draft of Шаблон:Convert. Шаблон:Lang was Шаблон:Convert at the waterline and Шаблон:Convert long overall; with the clipper bow, her overall length was Шаблон:Convert. Her beam was Шаблон:Convert and a draft of Шаблон:Convert standard and 7.2 m at full load. Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were Шаблон:Convert long overall, with beams of Шаблон:Convert and drafts of Шаблон:Convert standard and Шаблон:Convert at full load.Шаблон:Sfn
Although nominally within the 10,000-ton limit, the ships of the Шаблон:Lang class significantly exceeded the figure.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang had a designed displacement of Шаблон:Convert and a full load displacement of Шаблон:Convert. Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s displacement increased slightly, to Шаблон:Convert designed and Шаблон:Convert full load. Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang grew heavier still, at Шаблон:Convert designed and Шаблон:Convert full load.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' hulls were constructed from longitudinal steel frames. The hulls were divided into fourteen watertight compartments and a double bottom that extended for 72 percent of the length of the keel.Шаблон:Sfn The Шаблон:Lang regarded the ships as good sea boats, with gentle motion. At low speed, however, they were affected unpredictably by wind and currents. The ships heeled up to fourteen degrees and lost up to 50% speed with the rudder hard over at high speed. The ships had a standard complement of 42 officers and 1,340 enlisted men. Wartime modifications increased the crew to 51 officers and 1,548 sailors. The ships carried several smaller vessels, including two picket boats, two barges, one launch, one pinnace, and two dinghies.Шаблон:Sfn
Machinery
The Шаблон:Lang-class ships were powered by three sets of geared steam turbines.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s and Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s engines were built by Blohm & Voss,Шаблон:Sfn while Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s turbines were built by Germaniawerft.Шаблон:Sfn The turbines installed on Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s and Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s engines were manufactured by Deschimag. Steam was provided in the first three ships by twelve ultra-high-pressure boilers. Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were equipped with nine double-ended high-pressure boilers. Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s and Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s boilers were manufactured by Wagner, while the boilers for the other three ships were built by La Mont.Шаблон:Sfn
Each turbine drove a three-bladed screw Шаблон:Convert in diameter. The ships' engines were rated at Шаблон:Convert for a top speed of Шаблон:Convert. They carried Шаблон:Convert of fuel oil as designed, though the ships could carry up to Шаблон:Convert. At a cruising speed of Шаблон:Convert, the ships had a maximum range of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Steering was controlled by a single rudder. Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were equipped with three electricity plants with four diesel generators and six turbo-generators each; the diesel generators supplied 150 kW apiece, four of the six turbo-generators provided 460 kW, and the final pair provided 230 kW. Total electrical output was 2900 kW. Шаблон:Lang, Шаблон:Lang, and Шаблон:Lang were equipped with three 150 kW diesel generators, four 460 kW turbo-generators, one 230 kW turbo-generator, and one 150 kW AC generator, for a total of 2870 kW. All five ships' electrical plants operated at 220 volts.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament
The three completed ships were armed with eight 20.3 cm SK C/34 guns in four twin turrets. The ships were supplied with between 960 and 1,280 rounds of ammunition, or 120 to 160 rounds per gun.Шаблон:Sfn The guns were mounted in Drh LC/34 turrets, which enabled depression to −10° and elevation to 37°.Шаблон:Sfn At maximum elevation, the gun could reach out to Шаблон:Convert. It fired a Шаблон:Convert projectile at a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The projectiles included armor-piercing shells, base-fuzed and nose-fuzed high-explosive (HE) warheads. Each ship was also supplied with 40 illumination rounds that weighed Шаблон:Convert and had a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The four gun turrets built for Шаблон:Lang were emplaced as coastal artillery pieces in the Atlantic Wall.Шаблон:Sfn Only the two forward turrets had been installed on Шаблон:Lang when she was delivered to the Soviet Union.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' heavy anti-aircraft battery consisted of twelve [[10.5 cm FlaK 38|Шаблон:Convert SK C/33]] guns in twin mountings. These guns were supplied with a total of 4,800 rounds of ammunition.Шаблон:Sfn The mounts were the Dopp LC/31 type, originally designed for earlier [[8.8 cm SK C/31 naval gun|Шаблон:Convert SK C/31 guns]]. The LC/31 mounting was triaxially stabilized and capable of elevating to 80°. This enabled the guns to engage targets up to a ceiling of Шаблон:Convert. Against surface targets, the guns had a maximum range of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The guns fired fixed ammunition weighing Шаблон:Convert; the guns could fire HE and HE incendiary rounds, as well as illumination shells.Шаблон:Sfn
Close-range anti-aircraft weaponry initially consisted of twelve [[3.7 cm SK C/30|Шаблон:Convert SK C/30]] guns and eight [[2 cm FlaK 30/38/Flakvierling|Шаблон:Convert Flak 38]] guns.Шаблон:Sfn The 3.7 cm gun was a single-shot gun, with a rate of fire of around 30 rounds per minute. At its maximum elevation of 85°, the gun had a ceiling of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The 2 cm gun was a magazine-fed automatic weapon, firing at up to 500 rounds per minute. Twenty and forty-round magazines were supplied for the guns;Шаблон:Sfn The guns were supplied with 16,000 rounds of ammunition.Шаблон:Sfn Later in the war, the light anti-aircraft batteries for Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were modified.Шаблон:Efn Four 3.7 cm guns were removed and the number of 2 cm guns had increased to twenty-eight. In 1944, Шаблон:LangШаблон:'s 3.7 cm guns were replaced by fifteen [[4 cm Flak 28|Шаблон:Convert Flak 28]] guns. By 1945, the ship's light anti-aircraft battery comprised twenty 4 cm guns and eighteen 2 cm guns; Шаблон:Lang mounted sixteen 4 cm guns and fourteen 2 cm guns.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' armament was rounded out by twelve torpedo tubes; they were mounted in four triple launchers on the ships' main deck.Шаблон:Sfn The ships carried twenty-four G7a torpedoes, twelve loaded in the tubes and one reload for each.Шаблон:Sfn The G7a torpedo carried a Шаблон:Convert warhead. It had three-speed settings; in 1939, it could reach Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert, Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert, and Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert, its maximum speed setting. The Шаблон:Convert radial engine was improved during the war, which improved performance. The ranges increased to Шаблон:Convert, Шаблон:Convert, and Шаблон:Convert, respectively.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang also carried 96 EMC mines;Шаблон:Sfn these mines were contact mines and had a 300 kg explosive charge.Шаблон:Sfn
Armor
The five Шаблон:Lang-class ships were protected by Krupp steel armor, of both Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang types.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Efn The ships had two armored decks to protect the ship from vertical attacks. The upper deck was Шаблон:Convert thick amidships to protect the ships' vitals. At either end, the deck was reduced to Шаблон:Convert thickness. The bow and stern was not protected by deck armor. The main armored deck was Шаблон:Convert thick. Both decks were Шаблон:Lang steel. The main armored belt was Шаблон:Convert thick amidships and reduced to Шаблон:Convert thick aft. An interior 20 mm thick torpedo bulkhead protected the ships' vitals from underwater attack.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' main battery turrets were protected with Шаблон:Convert thick faces and 70 mm thick sides. Their roofs were also 70 mm thick.Шаблон:Sfn The 10.5 cm guns were equipped with Шаблон:Convert thick gun shields.Шаблон:Sfn The forward conning tower had Шаблон:Convert thick sides and a Шаблон:Convert thick roof. The rear conning tower was significantly less well armored, with only splinter protection. Their sides were 30 mm thick with a 20 mm thick roof. The anti-aircraft fire directors were also given splinter protection, with Шаблон:Convert thick shields.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction
Шаблон:Lang ordered as "H", as a replacement for the light cruiser Шаблон:SMS. She was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg under construction number 501,Шаблон:Sfn on 6 July 1935. She was launched on 6 February 1937 and fitting out work was completed two years later in April 1939; the ship was commissioned into the Шаблон:Lang on 29 April 1939.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang, ordered as "G" to replace Шаблон:SMS, was built by the Шаблон:Lang shipyard in Kiel, under construction number 246.Шаблон:Sfn Her keel was laid on 15 August 1936 and launched 8 June 1937. Work on the ship was finished by 20 September 1939, the day she was commissioned into the Шаблон:Lang.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang, the last ship of the class to be completed, was ordered from the Шаблон:Lang shipyard in Kiel as "J" under construction number 564.Шаблон:Sfn She was laid down on 23 April 1936 and launched on 22 August 1938. She was commissioned into the Шаблон:Lang on 1 August 1940.Шаблон:Sfn
Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang were both built by the Шаблон:Lang shipyard in Bremen; Шаблон:Lang was ordered as "K", under construction number 940, and Шаблон:Lang was ordered as "L" under construction number 941.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Lang was laid down on 29 December 1936 and Шаблон:Lang followed her on 2 August 1937. The ships were launched on 19 January 1939 and 1 July 1939, respectively.Шаблон:Sfn Work ceased on Шаблон:Lang when she was approximately 95 percent complete.Шаблон:Sfn In October 1939, the Soviet Union approached Germany with a request to purchase the then unfinished Шаблон:Lang, Шаблон:Lang, and Шаблон:Lang, along with plans for German capital ships, naval artillery, and other naval technology. The Шаблон:Lang denied the request for Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang, but agreed to sell Шаблон:Lang.Шаблон:Sfn
Service history
| Ship | Builder | Namesake | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Ship | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg | Franz von Hipper | 6 July 1935 | 6 February 1937 | 29 April 1939 | Scuttled following air attack, 3 May 1945 Raised for breaking up at Kiel |
| Шаблон:Ship | Deutsche Werke, Kiel | Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher | 15 August 1936 | 8 June 1937 | 20 September 1939 | Sunk following surface action, 9 April 1940 |
| Шаблон:Ship | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel | Prince Eugene of Savoy | 23 April 1936 | 22 August 1938 | 1 August 1940 | Sunk following nuclear tests, 22 December 1946 |
| Шаблон:Ship | Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau, Bremen | Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz | 29 December 1936 | 19 January 1939 | Шаблон:N/a | Scuttled, 29 January 1945 |
| Шаблон:Ship | Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow | 2 August 1937 | 1 July 1939 | Шаблон:N/a | Sold to Soviet Navy as Шаблон:Lang, 11 February 1940 |
Admiral Hipper
Шаблон:Lang led the assault on Trondheim during Operation Weserübung; while en route to her objective, she sank the British destroyer Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn In December 1940, she broke out into the Atlantic Ocean to operate against Allied merchant shipping, though this operation ended without significant success. In February 1941, Шаблон:Lang sortied again, sinking several merchant vessels before eventually returning to Germany via the Denmark Strait.Шаблон:Sfn The ship was then transferred to northern Norway to participate in operations against convoys to the Soviet Union, culminating in the Battle of the Barents Sea on 31 December 1942, where she was damaged and forced to withdraw by the light cruisers Шаблон:HMS and Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn
Enraged by the defeat at the battle, Adolf Hitler ordered the majority of the surface warships scrapped, though Admiral Karl Dönitz was able to convince Hitler to retain the surface fleet. As a result, Шаблон:Lang was returned to Germany and decommissioned for repairs. The ship was never restored to operational status, however, and on 3 May 1945, Royal Air Force bombers severely damaged Шаблон:Lang while she was in Kiel. Her crew scuttled the ship at her moorings, and in July 1945, she was raised and towed to Heikendorfer Bay. She was ultimately broken up for scrap in 1948–1952; her bell resides in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Blücher
Following her commissioning in November 1939, Шаблон:Lang conducted a series of sea trials and training exercises in the Baltic, which lasted until March 1940.Шаблон:Sfn She was pronounced ready for service with the fleet on 5 April 1940. Assigned to Group 5 during the invasion of Norway in April 1940, the ship served as Шаблон:Lang Oskar Kummetz's flagship. The ship led the flotilla of warships into the Oslofjord on the night of 8 April, to seize Oslo, the capital of Norway. Two old Шаблон:Convert coastal guns in the Oscarsborg Fortress engaged the ship at very close range, scoring two damaging hits.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Two torpedoes fired by land-based torpedo batteries struck the ship, causing serious damage. A major fire broke out aboard Шаблон:Lang, which could not be contained. After a magazine explosion, the ship slowly capsized and sank, with major loss of life.Шаблон:Sfn
The wreck remains on the bottom of the Oslofjord;Шаблон:Sfn several salvage attempts were considered after 1963, but none were carried out. The ship's screws were removed in 1953 and divers removed over Шаблон:Convert of fuel oil from the ship's bunkers in 1994, though oil from inaccessible fuel tanks is still leaking from the sunken ship. At the time the divers removed the oil, they also recovered one of her Ar 196 floatplanes, which is preserved in Stavanger.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Prinz Eugen
Шаблон:Lang saw extensive action during Operation Rheinübung, an attempted breakout into the Atlantic Ocean with the battleship Шаблон:Ship in May 1941. The two ships engaged the British battlecruiser Шаблон:HMS and battleship Шаблон:HMS in the Battle of Denmark Strait, during which Hood was destroyed and Prince of Wales was severely damaged. Шаблон:Lang was detached from Шаблон:Lang during the operation to raid Allied merchant shipping, but this was cut short due to engine troubles.Шаблон:Sfn After putting into occupied France and undergoing repairs, the ship participated in Operation Cerberus, a daring daylight dash through the English Channel back to Germany.Шаблон:Sfn In February 1942, Шаблон:Lang was deployed to Norway, although her time stationed there was cut short when she was torpedoed by the British submarine Шаблон:HMS days after arriving in Norwegian waters. The torpedo severely damaged the ship's stern, which necessitated repairs in Germany.Шаблон:Sfn
Upon returning to active service, the ship spent several months training new officer cadets in the Baltic before serving as artillery support to the retreating German Army on the Eastern Front.Шаблон:Sfn After the German collapse in May 1945, the ship was surrendered to the British Royal Navy before being transferred to the US Navy as a war prize. After examining the ship in the United States, the US Navy assigned the cruiser to the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in the Bikini Atoll. After surviving both atomic blasts, Шаблон:Lang was towed to Kwajalein Atoll where she ultimately capsized and sank in December 1946.Шаблон:Sfn The wreck remains partially visible above the water;Шаблон:Sfn one of her screws was salvaged and is on display at the Laboe Naval Memorial in Germany.Шаблон:Sfn
Seydlitz
At the time construction on Шаблон:Lang was halted, she was approximately 95 percent complete. The unfinished ship remained inactive until March 1942, when the Шаблон:Lang decided to pursue aircraft carriers over surface combatants. Шаблон:Lang was among the vessels chosen for conversion into auxiliary aircraft carriers.Шаблон:Sfn Renamed Шаблон:Lang, conversion work began on the ship in May 1942.Шаблон:Sfn The majority of the superstructure was cut away, with the exception of the funnel, to prepare for the installation of a flight deck and an aircraft hangar.Шаблон:Sfn In total, approximately Шаблон:Convert of material from the ship was removed.Шаблон:Sfn
As a carrier, the ship was to have had a complement of ten Bf 109 fighters and ten Ju 87 dive-bombers. She would have been armed with an anti-aircraft battery of ten 10.5 cm SK C/33 guns in dual mounts, ten 3.7 cm SK C/30 guns in dual mounts, and twenty-four 2 cm Flak 38 guns in quadruple mounts. Conversion work was halted in June 1943, however, and the incomplete vessel was towed to Königsberg where she was eventually scuttled on 29 January 1945. The ship was seized by the advancing Soviet Army and was briefly considered for cannibalization for spare parts to complete her sister ship Шаблон:Lang, which had been purchased by the Soviet Navy before the war. This plan was also abandoned, and the ship was broken up for scrap.Шаблон:Sfn
Lützow
In October 1939, the Soviet Union requested the purchase of the incomplete Шаблон:Lang.Шаблон:Sfn After a series of negotiations, the Шаблон:Lang agreed to the sale in February 1940,Шаблон:Sfn at the price of 150 million Reichsmarks.Шаблон:Sfn The transfer was completed on 15 April. The vessel was still incomplete when sold to the Soviet Union, with only half of her main battery of eight 20.3 cm guns installed and much of the superstructure missing.Шаблон:Sfn Renamed Шаблон:Lang in September 1940,Шаблон:Sfn work on the ship was effected by a German-advised Soviet shipyard in Leningrad. Still unfinished when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the ship briefly took part in the defense of Leningrad by providing artillery support to the Soviet defenders.Шаблон:Sfn She was sunk by German artillery in September 1941 and raised a year later in September 1942.Шаблон:Sfn After repairs were effected, the ship was renamed Шаблон:Lang and used in the Soviet counter-offensive that relieved Leningrad in 1944.Шаблон:Sfn After the end of the war, the ship was used as a stationary training platform and as a floating barracks before being broken up for scrap sometime between 1953 and 1960.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Notes
Notes
Citations
References
- Шаблон:Cite book
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- Шаблон:Cite book
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- Шаблон:Cite book
Further reading
Шаблон:Admiral Hipper class cruiser Шаблон:German heavy cruisers Шаблон:WWII German ships Шаблон:Good article
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