Searching for remaining German WW2 minesweepers

R

roydymond

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Currently at YSBI we are researching R-boats - these were mine sweepers and escort vessels built of teak in WW2. We would like to locate any remains or examples if anyone knows of any surviving or wrecked examples including converted we would like to consider purchasing for restoration/preservation.

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Thank you Mark. Yes we saw the torpedo recovery vessel about the size we are interested but not the shape we are looking for. Many years ago we had the pleasure of refiting Hamburg a steel Torpedo recovery said to be a prototype of the Sharnhorste - very interesting design. Still looking....

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[ QUOTE ]
Many years ago we had the pleasure of refiting Hamburg a steel Torpedo recovery said to be a prototype of the Sharnhorste - very interesting design. Still looking....


[/ QUOTE ]

Or Scharnhorst ? That sounds an interesting story ...
 
Hamburg was captured in the english channel duing the war in apparently unarmed state - she was taking on MTB and Fairmiles her defence was ramming. Anyway sure enough the ship had huge reinforcement in the bows. Later she became standby tug in Newhaven for Sealink/British rail. We did her recovery refit and for us the shape and design was incredible. Capable of 38 knots 100' long 12 foot draft. It was an impressive ship - alas no where to be found.
 
Hi
I was always very impressed with German fast boat design, the S Boats could do 40 knots in most sea conditions with a round bilge hull shape, and 3 mighty big diesels of course /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Have you seen this one?
http://www.danships.dk/StartEng.htm
Follow the link to ships for sale and then Minesweeper, I'mk sure I read somewhere that she was WW2 German.

PM me if you have trouble with link

Mark
 
Thank you Mark. The above link works and the ship showing is the class earlier I dont understand why they think it is 1941 as the hull appears to represent the earlier 1934 design. The style we are looking for has a chined bow, huge rubbing strakes, double diagonal with service speeds of 17 knots. The one we are looking for had a special engine installation of twin V16 mercedes engines and was used for evacuation of Malta. Later converted after the war renamed Pacemaker, she operated out of Gibraltar until seriously damaged at sea in an accident. We brought this vessel through refit and of her time it was hard to work out how exactly she was built having no caulking or canvas she was a work of art. Built 1936 we would like to find another as they are a pretty boat in and out of the water. Tendency to roll alarmingly so we learnt that the chine prevented capsize if she rolled heavily which was I have to admit quite a ride. Interestingly these boats were a great example of how a hull worked at sea. You could see the twisting and bending as she worked but this being quite normal for the design of her time. The theory being it bends it doesnt break. On the other hand British wooden boats experieinced broken backs and this was a worry for investors buying the UK built MTB's and Fairmile B's. Though excellent boats the German built minesweeper was light, flexible, fast manouvering and was a better investment made of teak. The R-boat could be dressed as an S-boat in disguise but could not sprint like the S-boat which is a very good hull design underneath. Those were the days! Nowadays we are working on superyachts, although stunning to look at we feel theres a place for these older boats and we would still like to find an R-boat for project work. Thanks for helping everyone.

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This question reminds me of a job a friend of mine did about 15 years ago. On the river was a wreck of a WW2 gunboat reputed to be German which was in very poor condition in mud which dried at low water. The Yard Owner next to it was concerned about it damaging peoples boats as they navigated at high water, my friend was asked to remove it. It was timber ( possibly teak I can't remember now) and by now all the "goodies" had long gone leaving only the broken timber hull.
The solution he came up with which worked incredibly well was to anchor his strong steel work barge over the top of the wreck and when the tide went out it crushed it. On the tide the barge was removed and the timber fragments collected by hand.
Saved many days of grinding and sawing!!!
 
Hi
I thought I wouls post these pics for interest.

I took them in Tallinn at the Maritime Museum and I'm guessing that they are minesweeper or patrol boat hulls, they were wooden possibly diagonal, doubt that are WW2 but you never know!

Picture271.jpg

Picture266.jpg


The super structure has been cut off, like the hull shape, very graceful.

Let me know if you need more pics I can take some in a week or so.
Mark
 
The said boat crushed by the barge might be Blitz she was lost in Sandwich - beyond recovery. We should know because we made every effort to try and recover her as she lay on her port beam with alot of the bow damaged (knee torn off) The incident began when she was left tied to a river bank - in winds she rode high onto the bank on her bows as the tide went out she was left hanging. She then slid back ripping the knee off - Meridan TV did a news story. Alas it was really hard going and we were not successful but thanks to over 100 volunteers and FLYGHT PUMPS we did manage to clear alot of mud out of her. It was not enough to roll her back upright. The Blitz built 1942 - served 3 yrs as a German air sea rescue, then captured served 3 more years with the RAF as airsea rescue. She carried General Urgart in Norway and she was once owned by a famous judge. The above photos appear to be around 1942 style of minesweeper definately German. This pair is very interesting and would love to know more about these.

The deck structure would have been alloy - the hulls will have steel framing and huge bronze heat exchangers in the engine rooms. If they have alloy framing this may date them to earlier than 1942. This style has been in service for some time it is therefore difficult to be certain they are WW2 - certainly they have the lines. Very Interesting!

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Hi

I'm going to be over there on Friday, cannot promise anything but I will try to get to see them again and ask some questions.

In the meantime here is the link to the museum, I have a feeling that they are German built but may not be very old.

http://www.meremuuseum.ee/?op=body&id=46

If the link does not work here is the main site

http://www.meremuuseum.ee/

I would contact them, they definatly speak English.

Mark
 
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