WesWorld

August von Thomsen, German Naval Store Carrier laid down 1943

Displacement: 1,667 t light; 1,755 t standard; 3,999 t normal; 5,795 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught

297.12 ft / 279.69 ft x 44.39 ft x 15.88 ft (normal load) [90.56 m / 85.25 m x 13.53 m x 4.84 m]

Armament:

1 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns in single mounts, 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1943 Model Anti-aircraft Gun in deck mount on centerline aft
4 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1943 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on centerline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1943 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, all amidships, 1 raised mount - superfiring
Weight of broadside 42 lbs / 19 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Machinery:

Diesel Internal combustion motors, Geared drive, 1 shaft, 826 shp / 616 Kw = 10.00 kts
Range 89,500nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 4,040 tons

Complement: 250 - 326

Cost: £0.431 million / $1.722 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:

Armament: 5 tons, 0.1 %
Machinery: 21 tons, 0.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,090 tons, 27.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,332 tons, 58.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 550 tons, 13.8 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 28,058 lbs / 12,727 Kg = 794.4 x 4.1 " / 105 mm shells or 7.8 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.26
Metacentric height 2.3 ft / 0.7 m
Roll period: 12.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 88 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.02
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:

Hull has raised forecastle, rise forward of midbreak, raised quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.710
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.30: 1
'Natural speed' for length: 16.72 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 27 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 44
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 25.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 23.29 ft / 7.10 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.15 ft / 6.75 m (21.33 ft / 6.50 m aft of break)
- Mid (50 %): 20.51 ft / 6.25 m (19.69 ft / 6.00 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 20.51 ft / 6.25 m (19.69 ft / 6.00 m before break)
- Stern: 21.33 ft / 6.50 m
- Average freeboard: 20.82 ft / 6.35 m

Ship space, strength and comments:

Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 19.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 154.1 %
Waterplane Area: 9,987 Square feet or 928 Square meters
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 630 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 57 lbs/sq. ft or 279 Kg/sq. meter
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.85
- Longitudinal: 6.05
- Overall: 1.03
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Adapted from standard Hansa A-3 cargo vessels - Cost to convert 250 tons; time to convert 49 days

Low-stowed cargo simmed as additional fuel - true bunkers 269 tons for a radius of 10,000 nm; low stowed cargo 1,900 tons

550 tons miscellaneous weight reserved for deck cargo, modifications, etc.


August von Thomsen – Conversion begun 1 January 1950; Conversion complete 19 February 1950
Eduard von Knorr – Conversion begun 1 January 1950; Conversion complete 19 February 1950

Blankenhagen, German Harbor Tug laid down 1950

Displacement: 436 t light; 446 t standard; 491 t normal; 527 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught

180.34 ft / 174.87 ft x 30.02 ft x 6.23 ft (normal load) [54.97 m / 53.30 m x 9.15 m x 1.90 m]

Armament:

2 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1950 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 0 lbs / 0 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 500

Machinery:

Diesel Internal combustion motors, Geared drive, 2 shafts, 647 shp / 482 Kw = 13.00 kts
Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 80 tons

Complement: 51 - 67

Cost: £0.137 million / $0.547 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:

Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 15 tons, 3.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 341 tons, 69.4 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 55 tons, 11.1 %
Miscellaneous weights: 80 tons, 16.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 3,735 lbs / 1,694 Kg = 15,301.5 x 0.8 " / 20 mm shells or 2.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.15
Metacentric height 1.1 ft / 0.3 m
Roll period: 12.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 68 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:

Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.525
Length to Beam Ratio: 5.83: 1
'Natural speed' for length: 13.22 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 34
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 12.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 1.64 ft / 0.50 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Forecastle (15 %): 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Mid (25 %): 14.76 ft / 4.50 m
- Quarterdeck (60 %): 6.56 ft / 2.00 m (14.76 ft / 4.50 m before break)
- Stern: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
- Average freeboard: 10.50 ft / 3.20 m

Ship space, strength and comments:

Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 29.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 206.1 %
Waterplane Area: 3,579 Square feet or 333 Square meters
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 440 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 63 lbs/sq ft or 310 Kg/sq meter
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1.47
- Longitudinal: 5.74
- Overall: 1.69
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weight

Two auxiliary diesel-electric generating sets - 20 tons each - total 40 tons
Provision for stowed towing cables and winch aft - 30 tons
Navigation and communications equipment - 10 tons


Blankenhagen – Laid down 1 January 1950; Launched 9 March 1950