Hecht (submarine)

Representation of the pike

The pike, (Project Name Type XXVII A) was produced during the Second World War for small combat units of the German Navy in series miniature submarine. His unsatisfactory seakeeping meant that the pike was not used for combat. He acted instead as a teaching and training boat for the future crews of the micro - submarine seal. He is also not identical to the Steinhuder pike.

History of development

The pike was created as an official draft of the submarine design bureaus of the OMC in the context of the successful British attack on Tirpitz end of 1943. During this attack two British midget submarines of the type X -Craft passed through the network locking the moored Tirpitz and placed two underground mines, the great damage to the battleship caused. This attack, as well as the loss of the Scharnhorst on December 26, 1943 led to a critical examination of application possibilities and chances of success in terms of maritime small ordnance on the part of the German Navy.

For the development of the OMC Hecht drew up a list of demands to the properties of the micro - submarine. So should the boat have at a displacement of 7 tons, a range of approximately 90 nautical miles and a limpet mine to attach it to a lying behind a network lock a ship at anchor. In addition, it should have the following properties:

  • Waiver of a form suitable for surface running form
  • Waiver of diving cells; the output should be achieved solely by flooding the cells usually
  • Small tower construction
  • Retractable periscope with deflector
  • Gyro with converters

Based on these specifications, a first prototype was built in the Germania shipyard in Kiel. Its design had to be adapted to the changed requirements of the OMC soon. Now This prompted that besides attacking, of moored ships, a combat -propelled surface targets at sea should be possible. To this end, the boat should also be designed for surface drives. Instead of mine head should be supplied as a torpedo can be attached. Alternatively, the mine head should also be equipped with additional batteries to increase the range of the boat. The pike should also not be as initially planned, brought by larger naval units in its area of ​​operations, but can operate from any open coast from their own.

The resulting prototype of the pike got a crew of two. Primary armament was a 53.3 - cm torpedo type G 7e, which was attached centrally below the keel of the boat. The limpet mine in the bow of the boat could be resolved from the central office. Experiments with special parts that would have made a promotion of two frogmen together with possible equipment, were not realized.

The prototype was used by the shipbuilding Research Institute in Hamburg a sea trial and various model tests. In the overall assessment, it was found that although the pike had a satisfactory underwater shape, but neither with nor without Bugkopf had good handling characteristics above water. Modified and extended nose cones as well as a more favorable profile shaped tower did not yield significant improvements.

Series production

Although it was located in the OMC on the weaknesses of the pike clear, gave one of the Germania shipyard construction contract for 50 boats. This was attributed to the fact that existed at that time, with the exception of the pig and beaver, ready to install, no other structures of micro - submarines. The pike should, however, act from the beginning only as an exercise boot. The first two boats (U 2111 and U 2112 ) were delivered in May 1944; in June was followed by U 2113th Only these three were equipped with a mine head. In July 1944, seven boats and delivered in August 1944 for a further 42. After that, the series production was stopped, so that the total inventory of 53 boats was.

Rating

His classification was a midget submarine already during the construction period. The pike was a clumsy, bad and unmanövrierbares boat with catastrophic sea and diving characteristics. There was no time to meet their particular needs and therefore served only as a training boat. Its further paved the way to the harbor seal (type XXVII B).

Oberkommando der Marine German battleship Scharnhorst G7e torpedo Molch Biber (submarine) Russian submarine Forel Delphin Schwertwal Seeteufel Assault boat FL-boat Human torpedo Hai (midget submarine)
380616
de