POLISHSEAMEN

[PL_BOBIK]

Zerstörer Z31 of the Zerstörer 1936A (Mob) class in 1943





Contruction Data
Laid down: Deschimag Bremen, 01.09.1940
Launched: 15.04.1941
Commissioned: 11.04.1942
Fate: scrapped 1958
Costs:

Commanders
KK/FK Alberts: 11.04.1942 - Dec 1943
KK Paul: Dec 1943 - 08.05.1945
Capitaine de Vaisseau Bosvieux: 04.02.1946 – 24.07.1947
Capitaine de Vaisseau Antoine: 24.07.1947
Capitaine de Corvette Guillauton:




After the start of World War II the construction of all new destroyers were canceled. Instead 12 additional ships of the Zerstörer 1936A class were ordered. To save material and increase the constructions time, some slight internal simplifications and engine modifications were done. This class of destroyers was then called "Zerstörer 1936A (Mob)". The 15 cm gun turrets were taken from the already ordered O-Class battlecruisers.

The engines caused less trouble than those of the previous destroyers but at the end of the war the remaining ships showed some heavy corrosion in the boilers and tubes.

The Z31 was the first ship of this class. It was ordered on 19.09.1939 and was laid down about one year later on 01.09.1940. After launched on 15.05.1941 it was commissioned on 11.04.1942. At this time, the 15 cm twin turret was not available, therefore the ship was completed with a single 15 cm gun.

The ship had an interesting history regarding its armament. The original turret was refitted in 1943. In January of 1945, the ship was badly damaged during a battle with British cruisers, destroying the twin turret. During repairs, the Flak armament was increased while the forward turret was replaced with a single 10,5 cm gun. An interesting detail is that the ship was equipped with some experimental IR detection device in 1943.

During the war, the Z31 was stationed in Norway and the Baltic Sea, after the war the ships was used by the French navy as Marceau until 1958.






30-31.12.1942: "Operation Regenbogen":
Together with CA Admiral Hipper , Panzerschiff Lützow and five other destroyers, the Z31 attacks the British convoy JW 51B escorts east of Bear Island. The squadron disengaged after Admiral Hipper is damaged by British cruisers Jamaica and Sheffield and DD Friedrich Eckoldt is sunk.
March - April 1943: Part of the battlegroup stationed in the Altafjord. The battlegroups consist of Tirpitz , Scharnhorst , Lützow , Z28 , Z31 , Paul Jakobi , Karl Galster , Erich Steinbrink , Theodor Riedel and the torpedo boats T20 and T21 .
06-07.09.1943: Tirpitz , Scharnhorst and the destroyers Z29 , Z31 , Z33 , Z27 , Z30 , Erich Steinbrink, Karl Galster , Hans Lody and Theodor Riedel attack an allied base on Spitzbergen.
28.01.1945: Heavily damaged during a battle with british cruisers in Norwegian waters. Repaired at Horten.
07.03.1945: Together with the destroyers Paul Jakobi, Z38 and the torpedo boat T36 , the Z31 covers the shore bombardment of the Panzerschiff Admiral Scheer at Wollin.
21.03.1945: Together with Z34 , the Z31 covers the shore bombardment of the Panzerschiff Lützow and CA Prinz Eugen near Danzig.




Size (Max): 3691 t
Length (Total): 127,0 m
Length (Waterline): 121,9 m
Beam: 12,0 m
Draft: 4,62 m
Crew: 320 - 332
Weapons
15 cm L/48 C/36 (5,9"): 4 (5 between 1943 and 1945, 3 since 1945)
10cm L/45 C/32: 1 (since 1945
3,7 cm L/83 C/30: 4 (14 since 19445)

2 cm MG L/65 C/30: 12 (10 since 1945)
53,3 cm Torpedo tubes: 8
Mines: 60
Depth Charge launcher: 4
Engines
Shafts: 2
Turbines: 2
Type: Wagner (Deschimag build)
Performance
Total Performance: 70000 shp
Speed: 37,5 kn
Range: 2239 miles at 19 kn

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