E-boat: Difference between revisions

The internal layout of the E-boat remained the same for all types. Its length was generally divided by eight transverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] (made of 4mm steel below the waterline and slightly thinner light metal alloy above) into nine watertight compartments.<ref>Lawrence Paterson, ''Schnellboote: A Complete Operational History'', p. 6.</ref> From bow to stern, these were:

E-boats were organisationally under the command of the ''Seekriegsleitung'' or '''SKL''' (the naval warfare command, responsible for the planning, execution and direction of naval warfare), and were administratively organised into flotillas, each originally comprising 8 boats. Consequently most orders for new construction were placed in batches of eight boats, or of multiple of eight. The first half-flotilla (''1st Schnellbootshalbflotille'') was formed in July 1932, but was reorganised as ''1st Schnellbootsflotille'' in June 1935. A second flotilla was established in August 1938, and a third in 1940. Eventually there were fourteen operational flotillas, numbered 1st to 11th plus 21st, 22nd and 24th, together with three training flotillas (''Schnellbootsschulflotille''). Each flotilla required the backup of a depot ship; initially this was provided by the converted steamer ''Nordsea'', but from 1934 a series of purpose-built tenders were commissioned - the ''Tsingtau'' in 1934, followed by the ''Tanga'' (in 1939), ''Carl Peters'' and ''Adolf Lüderitz'' in 1940, and finally the ''Herman von Wissmamm'' and ''Gustav Nachtigal''.

Improved ''S7'' type, ordered on 16 July 1934 (first two) and 5 November 1935 (last two) with new MAN L11 (11-cylinder) engines producing 6,150 &nbsp;hp, which proved unsatisfactory. Enlarged hull, measuring 34.62 x 5.26 x 1.67 m (113&nbsp;ft 7in x 17&nbsp;ft 3in x 5&nbsp;ft 6in) and displacing 92.5 tonnes standard (105.4 tonnes full load). After ''S17'' was broken up, the surviving three boatrs were transferred to the Fast A/S Group in 1940.

Built from 1937 onwards. Two new boats were ordered on 21 December 1936 (''S18'' and ''S19'') and six more boats (''S20'' to ''S25'') on 29 December 1937. Almost identical to the ''S14'' class, but with 3 Mercedes Benz MB501 engines (of total 6,000 &nbsp;hp) instead of MAN engines. The bridge, which had been in front of the wheelhouse on earlier designs, was raised to the wheelhouse roof to increase all-round visibility.<ref>Lawrence Paterson, ''Schnellboote: A Complete Operational History'', p. 22</ref>

In May 1938 it was planned to order six additional boats every year until 1943 (thus providing a projected ''S26'' to ''S61''). However, a speeding-up of production was decided on. Twelve additional boats were ordered - all from Lürssen - in August 1938. These were of two different models, due to accommodating different Daimler-Benz diesels.

|Ship length = {{convert|34.94|m|ftin|abbr=on}} <ref name="s-boot.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.s-boot.net/englisch/sboats-km-dat-s100.html|title=S-Boats in the Kriegsmarine - "S 100"|date= |website=Die Schnellboot-Seite|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>

|Ship length = {{convert|32.76|m|abbr=on}} <ref name="s-boot.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.s-boot.net/englisch/sboats-km-dat-s100.html|title=S-Boats in the Kriegsmarine - "S 100"|date= |website=Die Schnellboot-Seite|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>

Following the German occupation of France in June 1940, the Naval War Staff decided that 160 E-boats were now needed (comprising 26 flotillas), with 8 flotillas based in France and 6 each in Norway, the Baltic and the North Sea.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> On 26 August an additional four boats (''S70'' to ''S73'') were ordered from Lürssen, and in December Schlichting were given another order, this time for eight boats (''S118'' to ''S125''),

A class of small fast attack craft designed as offensive mine-layers (rated ''Küstenminenleger''), able to carry up to 4 mines, and to operate close to enemy shores. They measured 15.95 x 3.50 x 1.10 m (52&nbsp;ft 4in x 11&nbsp;ft 6in x 3&nbsp;ft 7in); 15/16 tonnes standard (18/19 tonnes full load). Powered by 2 BMW MB507 12-cylinder aero engines producing 1,650&nbsp;hp (32 knots), although four boats (nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6) had two Junkers 4-cylinder diesels of 1,500&nbsp;hp to produce speeds of 30/40.9 knots; radius 225 miles at 25 knots. A total of 36 were ordered (most on 29 and 31 July 1940, but ''KM1'' to ''KM4'' were ordered on 26 August, and ''KM25'' and ''KM26'' on 11 October 1940), but as their engines proved unreliable, they were not used in their intended role and instead most were employed in lakes and rivers, being attached to the [[Lake Peipus|Peipusee]] Flotilla (''KM3'' to the [[Lake Ladoga|Ladogasee]] Flotilla). As minelayers they carried four TMB mines and a single Mg39 gun, plus a crew of 6. 21 boats were equipped with 2 x 450mm fixed stern torpedo tubes replkacing the mines, and were reclassed as '''KS-boats''' (''Kleinst Schnellboote''), retaining their original numberss but replacing the "KM" prefix by "KS".

* {{cite book |title=E-boat vs MTB: The English Channel 1941–45 |publisher=Osprey |last=Williamson |first=Gordon |year=2011 |location=Oxford ; Long Island City |isbn=978-1-84908-407-9}}