German destroyer Z26

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	Z26
Ordered:	23 April 1938
Builder:	AG Weser (Deschimag), Bremen
Yard number:	W960
Laid down:	1 April 1939
Launched:	2 April 1940
Completed:	11 January 1941
Fate:	Sunk, 29 March 1942
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type:	Type 1936A-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,543 long tons (2,584 t) (standard) 3,543 long tons (3,600 t) deep load
Length:	127 m (416 ft 8 in) o/a
Beam:	12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draft:	4.43 m (14 ft 6 in)
Installed power:	70,000 PS (51,000 kW; 69,000 shp) 6 × water-tube boilers
Propulsion:	2 × shafts 2 × geared steam turbine sets
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range:	2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement:	332
Armament:	1 × twin, 2 × single 15 cm (5.9 in) guns 2 × twin 3.7 cm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns 5 × single 2 cm (0.8 in) AA guns 2 × quadruple 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 60 mines

Z26 was a Type 1936A-class destroyer built for the Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design and description

Z26 had an overall length of 127 meters (416 ft 8 in) and was 121.90 meters (399 ft 11 in) long at the waterline. The ship had a beam of 12 meters (39 ft 4 in), and a maximum draft of 4.43 meters (14 ft 6 in). She displaced 2,543 long tons (2,584 t) at standard load and 3,543 long tons (3,600 t) at deep load. The two Wagner geared steam turbine sets, each driving one propeller shaft, were designed to produce 70,000 PS (51,000 kW; 69,000 shp) using steam provided by six high-pressure Wagner boilers with superheaters for a designed speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Z26 carried a maximum of 791 metric tons (779 long tons) of fuel oil which gave a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Her crew consisted of 11 officers and 321 sailors.^[1]

The ship carried four 15 cm TbtsK C/36 guns, two superimposed in single mounts with gun shields aft, and one twin-gun turret forward of the superstructure. Her anti-aircraft armament consisted of four 3.7 cm SK C/30 guns in two twin mounts abreast the rear funnel and five 2 cm C/30 guns in single mounts. The ship carried eight above-water 53.3-centimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in two power-operated mounts.^[1] Four depth charge throwers were mounted on the sides of the rear deckhouse and they were supplemented by six racks for individual depth charges on the sides of the stern. Sufficient depth charges were carried for either two or four patterns of sixteen charges each.^[2] Mine rails could be fitted on the rear deck that had a maximum capacity of sixty mines.^[1] 'GHG' (Gruppenhorchgerät) passive hydrophones were fitted to detect submarines and an active sonar system was installed by the end of 1939.^[3]

Construction and career

She was shelled and sunk by HMS Trinidad and HMS Eclipse in the Barents Sea. 240 crewmen killed. 96 survivors rescued by Z24 and Z25. Trinidad was damaged by a circular run of one of her own torpedoes.^[4]

Notes

1. Gröner 1990, p. 202–03
2. Whitley, p. 215
3. Whitley, pp. 71–72
4. Battle of the Atlantic From 1939-45. Google books. Retrieved 29 March 2013.

References

• Gröner, Erich (1990). German Warships: 1815–1945. Volume 1: Major Surface Warships. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-790-9.
• Koop, Gerhard; Schmolke, Klaus-Peter (2003). German Destroyers of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-307-1.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1991). German Destroyers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-302-8.

External links

• Kriegsmarine destroyers