S-Boot Tender Tsingtau
- This topic has 1 reply, 1 voice, and was last updated 3 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
I wanted another ship for my Cruel Seas fleets. I decided for the Schnellbootbegleitschiff Tsingtau. 100 % scratch, 100 % building fun.
Tsingtau was the first specially built Tender for the German S-Boote, designed and ordered before the Nazis took over and built 1933-34.
It was the smallest of the S-Boot Tenders with 2490 ts and 87,46 meter length. The latest built had 3700 t and 114 meter. With 17, knots it was fast enough for safe passage to a new forward base, escorted by her dangerous ducklings.
The tender had 3 officers and 146 crewmen that also worked in the various workshops on board. And it had space for 251 men from the flotilla so no need to sleep on board the small S-Boats. The Flottillenarzt had a sick bay and eveyting or operations. The torpedo shop “Regelstelle” serviced the boats torpedoes and also the reserve one on board the Tsingtau. The Waffen shop did repairs on guns and provided amo. And the engine shop cared for the delicate S-Boot Diesel engines.
Naturally the tender had showers and cooks for the Flottille. Food and fresh water and also Diesel fuel to feed the boats.
It carried two 8,8 cm L/45 Naval guns and 4 x 2 cm Flak 30, 1940 increased to 8 in double barrel mounts.
Attachments:
Built at Blohm & Voß Hamburg Tsingtau’s service began as general Flottentender in 1934, just a few S-boats being ready. But 5.3.1936 it became Schnellbootbegleitschiff for the six boats of 1. S-Flottille.
They operated in Ostsee. But then there was a high priority demand for cadet sea training and 13.2.1940 Tsingtau became training ship. 23 officers and 210 cadets filling the S-boat crew spaces. It did sea and AA training.
In Weserübung it served as tender of 2. S-Fl. , being part of Kriegsschifsgruppe 4. It carries in addition Marineartillerie gun crews to Kristiansand.
In June it became tender for the new 3. S- Flottille. Used by them as home and torpedo training target. Two months later it went to Rotterdam as S-Bootstützpunktschiff. In 1941 it served the 5. S-Flottille. February 1942 tender for 6. S- Flottille. And in June for the 8. .
Four weeks later it became HQ ship of Führer der Schnellboote. In April 43 it was tender for 9. S-Flottille and in January 44 again for the 1. Flottille. Still serving in the Channel area apart from some training trips to Ostsee. .
Three months later it went to Ostsee as home of 1. S-Boot Schulflottille, in April it changed for the 2<sup>nd</sup>. .
The most important service it did was in 1945, rescuing together with her ducklings 3.500 fcivil fugitives from Hexengrund / Bay of Danzig. It survived the war and went under British control, working as tender for GM/SA, IV MRD. The German crewed mine clearing service. Servicing the Räumboote of that service. February 1950 it went to Tyne for scrapping.
CO:
Januar 1939 – April 1941 Kapitänleutnant Bening
April 1941 Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Freyer
November 1941 – August 1944 Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Brandt
August 1944 – Oktober 1944 Kapitänleutnant der Reserve Vassel
Oktober 1944 – Mai 1945 Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Wortmann
The Tsingtau’s CO was not the Flottillen CO, that was a Kapitänleutnant. One sees that from 4/41 on the vessel was in the hands of a reserve officer. But these merchant navy men knew everything about getting such a vessel working.
Most of her life she was in grey livery, only in her training times he carried a camo in Ostsee to blend in with the Finnish Schären
I did her with the double AA gus, Used at sea for air defense but in harbor they relied on camo nets and land based AA for protection.
The pics showing later war S-Boote at her in “Päckchen” are fantasy. That was done in peacetime but in war it was like crying: “please throw bomb here”.
I opened one of the two starboard supply doors, even if the bases prevent close contact. Bring out the Bier …..!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.