NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Z5 Paul Jacobi		899	Deschimag, Bremen	7/1935	24.3.1936	6/1937	surrendered 5.1945, to UK 1.1946, to France 2.1946 (Desaix)
Z6 Theodor Riedel		900	Deschimag, Bremen	7/1935	22.4.1936	7/1937	surrendered 5.1945, to UK 1.1946, to France 2.1946 (Kléber)
Z7 Hermann Schoemann		901	Deschimag, Bremen	9/1935	16.7.1936	9/1937	sunk 2.5.1942
Z8 Bruno Heinemann		902	Deschimag, Bremen	1/1936	15.9.1936	1/1938	sunk 25.1.1942
Z9 Wolfgang Zenker		535	Germaniawerft, Kiel	3/1935	27.3.1936	7/1938	sunk 13.4.1940
Z10 Hans Lody		536	Germaniawerft, Kiel	4/1935	14.5.1936	9/1938	surrendered 5.1945, to UK 1.1946 (R38)
Z11 Bernd von Arnim		537	Germaniawerft, Kiel	4/1935	8.7.1936	12/1938	sunk 13.4.1940
Z12 Erich Giese		538	Germaniawerft, Kiel	5/1935	12.3.1937	3/1939	sunk 13.4.1940
Z13 Erich Koellner		539	Germaniawerft, Kiel	10/1935	18.3.1937	8/1939	sunk 13.4.1940
Z14 Friedrich Ihn		503	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	5/1935	5.11.1935	4/1938	surrendered 5.1945, to USSR 2.1946 (Прыткий [Prytkiy])
Z15 Erich Steinbrinck		504	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	5/1935	24.9.1936	6/1938	surrendered 5.1945, to UK 12.1945 (R92), to USSR 1.1946 (Пылкий [Pylkiy])
Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt		505	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	11/1935	21.3.1937	7/1938	sunk 31.12.1942

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	Z5 - 8: 2171 Z9 - 13: 2270 Z14 - 16: 2239
Displacement full, t	Z5 - 8: 3110 Z9 - 13: 3190 Z14 - 16: 3165
Length, m	Z5 - 8: 114.0 wl 119.0 oa Z9 - 16: 116.3 wl 121.0 oa
Breadth, m	11.3
Draught, m	4.23
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Z5 - 8: 2 sets Deschimag geared steam turbines, 6 Wagner boilers Z9 - 16: 2 sets Blohm & Voss geared steam turbines, 6 Benson boilers
Power, h. p.	70000
Max speed, kts	38.2
Fuel, t	oil 715
Endurance, nm(kts)	1825(19)
Armament	5 x 1 - 128/42 SK C/34, 2 x 2 - 37/80 SK C/30, 6 x 1 - 20/65 C/30, 2 x 4 - 533 TT (16), 4 DCT (18), 60 mines
Electronic equipment	GHG hydrophone
Complement	315

Standard scale images

Project history

Works over rigorous destroyer have begun in Germany in 1932. In reply to the French ships having 4-5 130mm or 5 138mm guns, 127mm calibre have been chosen: in the presence of 4 guns displacement should make 1500t. Under the personal order of admiral Roeder project have added with the fifth guns and have changed triple TTs with quadruple ones. As a result standard displacement has exceeded 2000t though officially declared made only 1625t. Order for the first 4 destroyers (type 1934) has been given out 1.4.1934, long before official denunciation of the Versailles limitation, which they considerably exceeded. In 1934-1935 12 more destroyers of type 1934А were orered.

The internal arrangement has been borrowed type 1923, and artillery placing repeated that on French leaders of Le Fantasque class. The considerable attention was given to the air defence weapons presented by new 37mms/83 semiautomatic guns in twin stabilized mounts.

Destroyers of 1934А type had all-welded hulls gathered on the cross-section scheme, high funnels and massive superstructures that led to considerable top weight. Seagoing capacities and manoeuvrability of the ships were valued as rather mediocre.

Prominent feature was machinery using steam with high parameters. First 4 ships were equipped with Wagner boilers (70atm, 460°C) and Deschimag turbines, remaining by Benson boilers (110atm, 510°C) and Blohm und Voss turbines. Extreme unreliability of machinery significantly reduced fighting capability of the ships.

On destroyers with Benson boilers turbines were so unreliable, that in January, 1941 the decision on their replacement by new ones, produced by Germania, was accepted therefore power has fallen on 3000hp. Auxiliary machinery worked on high parameters steam that has led to raised fuel rate and sharp decrease in an endurance. It was especially showed during capture of Narvik in April, 1940 and became a cause of loss of many ships.

Modernizations

1938, Z5 - 8: hulls were strengthened, length was 114.4 wl 119.3 oa

1939-1940, all survived: + S-Gerät sonar

1941, all survived: - 6 x 1 - 20/65; + 9 x 1 - 20/65 C/38, FuMO 21 radar

1941, Z10, 14 - 16: main engines were replaced by Germania geared steam turbines, power was 67000hp.

1941 - 1942, Z5, 6, 10, 14 - 16: - 2 x 1 - 20/65; + 1 x 4 - 20/65 C/38

1943-1944, all survived: + FuMB 3 Bali, FuMB 4 Sumatra ECM suites

early 1944, Z5, 10, 15: stem was reconstructed, length oa 121.3 m.

1944, all survived: - FuMO 21 radar; + FuMO 24, FuMO 63K radars, FuMB 1 Metox ECM suite

1944, Z5: - 1 x 1 - 128/42, 2 x 2 - 37/80, 6 x 1 - 20/65; + 4 x 2 - 37/69 FlaK M42, 2 x 1 - 37/57 FlaK M43, 4 x 2 - 20/65 C/38

1944, Z6: - 1 x 1 - 20/65; + 2 x 2 - 20/65 C/38

1944, Z10, 15: - 1 x 1 - 128/42, 2 x 2 - 37/80, 7 x 1 - 20/65; + 7 x 2 - 37/69 FlaK M42, 3 x 2 - 20/65 C/38

1944, Z14: - 7 x 1 - 20/65; + 7 x 2 - 20/65 C/38

Naval service

13.4.1940 in an Ufut-fjord 4 destroyers were lost: Z12 Erich Giese and Z13 Erich Koellner were sunk by British battleship Warspite and destroyers, out-of-ammunition Z9 Wolfgang Zenker and Z11 Bernd von Arnim were blown up by crews. Z8 Bruno Heinemann was lost 25.1.1942 on British aviation mine in La Manche. Z7 Hermann Schoemann was lost 2.5.1942 in battle against British cruiser Edinburgh and destroyers Forester and Foresight in Barents Sea. Z6 Theodor Riedel and Z10 Hans Lody were damaged 3.7.1942 as a result of navigating accident in the West-fjord and were under repair 2 and 8 months respectively. Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt was sunk 31.12.1942 by British cruiser Sheffield in Barents Sea.

On reparations Z14 Friedrich Inn and Z15 Erich Steinbrinck were transferred to the USSR as Prytkiy and Pylkiy; remaining were received by UK. Z10 Hans Lody was BU in 1949; Z5 Paul Jacobi and Z6 Theodor Riedel in 1946 were transferred to France as Desaix and Kleber.