German WWII Ship Classes

Bismarck-class battleship

• Bismarck class

Bismarck and Tirpitz

The Bismarck-class battleships were 251 m (823 ft 6 in) long overall and 241.60 m (792 ft 8 in) long at the waterline. The ships had a beam of 36 m (118 ft 1 in), and a designed draft of 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in); the draft at standard displacement was 8.63 m (28 ft 4 in), and 9.90 m (32 ft 6 in) at a full load.

Scharnhorst-class battleship

• Scharnhorst class

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were 226 m (741 ft 6 in) long at the waterline; Scharnhorst was 234.9 m (770 ft 8 in) long overall, while Gneisenau had a slightly shorter overall length, at 229.8 m (753 ft 11 in). The ships both had a beam of 30 m (98 ft 5 in). They were designed to displace 35,540 t (34,980 long tons), which would have given the ships a draft of 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in).

Admiral Hipper-class cruiser

Admiral Hipper class

Admiral Hipper, Blücher, Prinz Eugen, Seydlitz, and Lützow

The ships of the Admiral Hipper class varied slightly in size. Admiral Hipper was 195.5 meters (641 ft) long at the waterline and 202.8 m (665 ft) overall. After the installation of a clipper bow during fitting out, her overall length increased to 205 m (673 ft). The ship had a beam of 21.3 m (70 ft). Blücher was 195 m (640 ft) long at the waterline and 203.2 m (667 ft) overall; with the clipper bow, her overall length was 205.9 m (676 ft). Her beam was 22 m (72 ft). Both ships had a designed draft of 6.5 m (21 ft) and a full load draft of 7.2 m (24 ft). Prinz Eugen was 199.5 m (655 ft) at the waterline and 207.7 m (681 ft) long overall; with the clipper bow, her overall length was 212.5 m (697 ft). Her beam was 21.7 m (71 ft) and a draft of 6.6 m (22 ft) standard and 7.2 m at full load. Seydlitz and Lützow were 210 m (690 ft) long overall, with beams of 21.8 m (72 ft) and drafts of 6.9 m (23 ft) standard and 7.9 m (26 ft) at full load.

Deutschland-class cruiser

Deutschland-class

Deutschland, Admiral Scheer and Admiral Graf Spee

The three Deutschland-class ships varied slightly in dimensions. All three ships were 181.70 meters (596.1 ft) long at the waterline, and as built, 186 m (610 ft 3 in) long overall. Deutschland and Admiral Scheer had clipper bows installed in 1940–1941; their overall length was increased to 187.90 m (616 ft 6 in). Deutschland had a beam of 20.69 m (67 ft 11 in), Admiral Scheer‘s beam was 21.34 m (70 ft 0 in), while Admiral Graf Spee‘s was 21.65 m (71 ft 0 in). Deutschland and Admiral Scheer had a standard draft of 5.78 m (19 ft 0 in) and a full-load draft of 7.25 m (23 ft 9 in). Admiral Graf Spee‘s draft was 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in) and 7.34 m (24 ft 1 in), respectively. The displacement of the three ships increased over the class. Standard displacement grew from 10,600 long tons (10,800 t) for Deutschland to 11,550 long tons (11,740 t) for Admiral Scheer and 12,340 long tons (12,540 t) for Admiral Graf Spee. The ships’ full load displacements were significantly higher, at 14,290 long tons (14,520 t) for Deutschland, 13,660 long tons (13,880 t) for Admiral Scheer, and 16,020 long tons (16,280 t) for Admiral Graf Spee. The ships were officially stated to be within the 10,000 long tons (10,000 t) limit of the Treaty of Versailles, however.

Leipzig-class cruiser

Leipzig class

Leipzig, and Nürnberg

The two ships of the Leipzig class were not identical, prompting some naval historians to classify them as separate designs, rather than as a ship class. Of the two, Nürnberg was larger. Leipzig was 165.8 meters (544 ft) long at the waterline and 177 m (581 ft) long overall. She had a beam of 16.3 m (53 ft) and a maximum draft of 5.69 m (18.7 ft) forward. She displaced 6,820 metric tons (6,710 long tons; 7,520 short tons) as designed and 8,100 metric tons (8,000 long tons; 8,900 short tons) at full combat load. Nürnberg was slightly longer, at 170 m (560 ft) at the waterline and 181.3 m (595 ft) overall. Her beam was identical to Leipzig, but her draft was slightly greater, at 5.74 m (18.8 ft) forward. She displaced 8,060 metric tons (7,930 long tons; 8,880 short tons) as designed and 9,040 metric tons (8,900 long tons; 9,960 short tons) at full combat load.

Königsberg-class cruiser

Königsberg class

 

Königsberg, Karlsruhe, and Köln

The ships of the Königsberg class were 169 meters (554 ft) long at the waterline and 174 m (571 ft) long overall. They had a beam of 15.2 m (50 ft) and a maximum draft of 6.28 m (20.6 ft). They had a design displacement of 6,750 metric tons (6,640 long tons; 7,440 short tons) and a standard displacement, as defined by the Washington Naval Treaty, of 6,000 long tons (6,100 t). They displaced 7,700 long tons (7,800 t) at full combat load. The ships’ hulls were constructed from longitudinal steel frames and incorporated extensive welding to save weight; up to 85 percent of the hulls were welded rather than riveted. The hull was divided into nineteen watertight compartments and had a double bottom that extended for 72 percent of the length of the hull.

Emden

Emden was 150.5 meters (494 ft) long at the waterline and 155.1 m (509 ft) long overall. She had a beam of 14.2 m (47 ft) and a designed draft of 5.3 m (17 ft); at standard load, the draft was 5.15 m (16.9 ft), and at combat load the draft increased to 5.93 m (19.5 ft). Her designed displacement was 5,960 long tons (6,060 t), with 5,300 long tons (5,400 t) standard and 6,990 long tons (7,100 t) combat displacements. 

Deutschland-class battleship

Deutschland-class

Deutschland, Hannover, Pommern, Schlesien, and Schleswig-Holstein

The Deutschland-class ships were 125.90 m (413 ft 1 in) long at the waterline and 127.60 m (418 ft 8 in) overall. They had a beam of 22.20 m (72 ft 10 in) and a draft of 8.21 m (26 ft 11 in) forward. The ships were designed to displace 13,191 metric tons (12,983 long tons) with a standard load, and displaced up to 14,218 metric tons (13,993 long tons) at full load. The Deutschland-class ships’ hulls were built with transverse and longitudinal steel frames. Steel hull plates were riveted to the structure created by the frames. The hull was split into twelve watertight compartments, although Pommern had thirteen compartments. The hull included a double bottom that ran for 84 percent of the length of the ship.

Destroyers (Zerstörer)

Type 1936A

Length: 127 m (416 ft 8 in) Beam: 12 m (39 ft 4 in) Draught: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)

Installed power: 70,000 hp (52,000 kW).

 

Type 1936A (Mob)

Length: 127 m (416 ft 8 in) Beam: 12 m (39 ft 4 in) Draught: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)

Installed power: 70,000 hp (52,000 kW).

Type 1936B

Length: 127 m (416 ft 8 in) Beam: 12 m (39 ft 4 in) Draught: 4.21 m

Installed power: 70,000 hp (52,000 kW).

 

Type 1936

Length: 125 m (410) Beam: 11,8 m (38 ft 9 in) Draught: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)

Installed power: 70,000 hp (52,000 kW).

Type 1934

Length: 119 m (390 ft 5 in) Beam: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in) Draught: 4.23 m (13 ft 11 in)

Propulsion: 2 × Wagner geared turbines, 70,000 PS (51,000 kW; 69,000 shp) 2 shafts.

Type 1934A

Length: 119 m (390 ft 5 in) Beam: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in) Draught: 4.23 m (13 ft 11 in)

Propulsion: 2 × Wagner geared turbines, 70,000 PS (51,000 kW; 69,000 shp) 2 shafts.

Corvettes (Korvette)

Flottenbegleiter F-class escort ship 

Length: 75.94 m (249.1 ft) (80.20 meters after rebuild) Beam: 8.80 m (28.9 ft)

Draught: 3.24 m (10.6 ft)

Propulsion: 2 shaft, Brown-Boveri geared steam turbines, 2 boilers 14,000 shp.

Torpedo boats (Torpedoboot)

Type 1924

Length: 92.6 m Beam: 8.65 m Draught: 3.52 m

Propulsion: 2 shaft geared steam turbines (from Brown, Boveri & Cie, Vulcan and Schichau), 3 boilers, 25,500 shp.

Speed: 35.2 knots (65.2 km/h; 40.5 mph).

Type 1923

Length: 87.7 m Beam: 8.25 m Draught: 3.65 m.

Propulsion: 2 shaft geared steam turbines (all Blohm & Voss, except Albatros – Schichau), 3 boilers, 24,000 shp.

Speed: 33.6 knots (62.2 km/h; 38.7 mph).

Type 1937

Length: 85.20 m Beam: 8.87 m Draught: 2.51 m (standard) 3.14 m (full load).

Propulsion: 2 shaft geared Wagner turbines, 4 Wagner boilers 32,000 shp.

Speed: 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h).

Type 1935

Length: 84.3 m Beam: 8.62 m Draught: 2.33 m (standard) 2.94 m (full load).

Propulsion: 2 shaft geared turbines 2 Wagner type boilers 31,000 shp.

Speed: 35.5 kn (65.7 km/h).

Fast attack craft (Schnellboot)

Type 1939/40 Type 1939 Type 1937 Type 1934 Type 1933

Length: 34.9 m (114 feet 6 inches) Weight: up to 120 t Speed: 43.8 kn.

Engines: Three 20-cylinder 2000 hp Daimler-Benz MB501 diesels driving three shafts.

Leichte Schnellboote

Displacement: 12 tons

Armament: 2 x 2 cm guns; 1 x machinegun; 2 x 45 cm torpedo tubes; 4 mines Performance: Speed 40 knots (74 km/h);

Range 300 nautical miles (560 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h).

Minehunters (Minensuchboot)

Sperrbrecher

Ships in class: Around 100

Length: 115.1 m (378 ft) Beam: 15.3 m (50 ft) Draught: 6.5 m (21 ft)

Propulsion: One diesel engine, one shaft, 3,500 shp (2,600 kW)

The first series; the M1935 were ordered in the late 1930s to replace worn out World War I vintage boats. These ships proved versatile and seaworthy. The vessels could also undertake convoy escort, anti-submarine warfare and minelaying tasks as well as minesweeping. However, the ships were very expensive and complicated to build, and their oil-fired boilers meant they suffered from the fuel shortages in the later years of the war. A total of 69 ships were built in eight different shipyards, between 1937 and 1941. 34 were lost during the war.

Length: 68.4 m (224 ft 5 in) Beam: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) Draught: 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in).

Although the M1935 was a very satisfactory vessel, it was complex and expensive to build and a simplified design was put into production in 1941. These ships had coal-fired boilers because of oil shortages. A total of 127 ships were built between 1941 and 1944, and 63 M1940/41 class ships were sunk during the war.

–

Type 1943

This was a further simplified and slightly enlarged version of the M1940. These ships were designed for pre-fabrication and were produced in four versions:

Minesweeper

Anti-submarine vessel with extra depth charges

Torpedo boat, with two 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes

Torpedo training vessel Only 18 vessels were completed by the time the war ended.

Flachgehende Minensuchboote

Ships in class: 66

Minenräumboot R 130-150 Series

Ships in class: 300

Mine layers (Minenleger)

Küste Minenleger (KM 1 to KM 36) Should be similar to boat on picture!