Linse Sprengboote scratch built
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Another (literally) mini one evening scratch building project is done. A group of Linse Sprengboote, two explosive and one command one.
German Linse means lens or lentil. Unlike the Japanese 震洋 Shin’yō, boat it was no suicide weapon.
They got developed by the Heer, inspired by the Italian “Barchino” MTM (Motoscafo Turismo modificato).
30 got made for use with the Brandenburg naval section. In April 44 a first attack at Anzio failed.The Kriegsmarine took the idea for the newly formed Kleinkampfverbände. The first had been cable controled but that did not work well, so they got wireless control systems from the Heer Goliath and Borgwart explosive vehicles.
The Sprengboote operated in groups of three, named a Rotte. The command boat had a helmsman and two wireless operators. The explosive one had just a helmsman that steered it into action range, around 300 meter from the target. Then he bailed out to be rescued by the command boat post attack.
The boats had been identical, the system was modular. Both types had a bumper around the bow section that exploded some charges on contact. (80 kg pressure)It was a German design, so it did not just detonate the main charge in the stern. Instead the small charges blew off the stern that sank quickly. Then the main charge of 400 kg (300 in early) explosives was ignited by a time fuse with 2,5 and 7 seconds delay. The explosion intended to break the targets hull from below like a ground mine. If the attack was a failure the operators could blow up the boat by remote control.
In the command one the charge was replaced with seats and two remote control sets. All crewmen wore Fallschirmjäger helmets and life jackets.
With a length of 5.75 m and powered by a 95 hp Ford V8 petrol engine the Linsen charged with 33 – 35 kts. The total range of 80 sea miles at 15 kts limited the use to coastal areas.
The boats had position lights in the usual red (port) and green (starboard) that could only be seen from behind. They got switched on by the helmsmen before jumping out.The flimsy hull of Heer and early Navy boats got soon replaced by a more sturdy one. Production was fast, for example in August 1944 144 got made. At the end more than 1200 are made from all variants. There had been many small modifications.
Smoke dischargers had been standard and some commando boat crews had 2 Panzerfäuste for defense. But no MG got used.
Post war publications include a lot of fuss on these Sprengboote. The myth that the crews named themselves “Opferkämpfer” (Sacrifice fighters) is one.
English books often name the boats suicide vessels. But Wehrmacht did not like the idea of suicide actions. So the V1 Fi 103 with pilot was for early flying tests, not action. And the Sonderkommando Elbe fighter pilots never named themselves Selbstopfer. There was just one action and ramming the bombers was done with the plan to bail out. Anyway fighting the bombers was a “suicide” job. Hundreds of MG …….
The Linse crews expected the fairness of RN, so the bailed out helmsman had a chance. That the cramped command boat should return with five men was a bit optimistic. But it happened.
A Linse Kleinkampfmittel Verband / Unit was to have 20 command and 40 explosive boats.
But many had been much smaller. Like K-Fl. 215 with just 30.The Brandenburger/ Küstenjäger Linsen had no success, operating from La Spezia.
The Navy Linse was used in battle of Dutch Schelde, along the French coast, in Mediterranean, Lake Peipus and Plattensee in Hungaria.
Some Allied ships got badly damaged but sinkings are a ? Trawler HMS Gairsay is reported in English books to have been sunk by a German explosive boat.
A success related to Linse was operation Bruno, an attack at the Kruisschans lock of Antwerp harbor. Blocking it for months. Two Linsen from K-Flottille 216 got used as transport, not explosive vessels. Divers used special mines.
Even in harbor the Linsen had not been safe, K-Fl. 213 was totally destroyed at San Remo by gunfire from French Forbin.
The Warlord S-Boot can be used in combination with Linsen. In the morning of 9th April 45 the Schnellboote S 130, S 168, S 175, S 206 and S 214 are sent to Thames area. They carried Linse Sprengboote on deck.
(See KTB Seekriegsleitung Vol. 68 page 141) The operation was aborted; the slides got damaged by strong waves, so it was impossible to launch the Linsen.A document (BArch RM 103/10) by Kommando K-Verbände about the losses of the units say that 42 of the missing 158 men came from Linse units. 6 of 63 known dead came from the Linse force.
The last large Linse use was for the supply of Festung Dünkirchen in April 45. Each boat carried 500 kg food and amo.
K-Fl. 219 trained until May 45 in Deutsche Bucht for minelaying operations. But there was no action, the Linsen got blown up.
RN ML, MGB and MTB had some very one sided actions with Linsen. I found no mention of Panzerfaust use but ……..
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