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KMS Leberecht Maass (Z1)

1937 WORLD WAR 2

History

KMS Leberecht Maass (Z1) led the Leberecht-Maass class (or Type 34) destroyers of the German Navy on the eve of World War II (1939-1945). The Gruppe was the first warship of its kind built by/for Germany since the end of the First World War in November 1918. The class, eventually numbered 22, is divided into three main batches: "Type 34", "Type 34A" and "Type 36".

The series was of great value to the Germans in the early days, especially for its mining capabilities and torpedo weapons.

The Leberecht Maass was ordered on 7 July 1934 and built on 15 October 1934 at the Deutsche Werke shipyard in Kiel. The ship was launched on 18 August 1935 and commissioned on 14 January 1937. Shortly after construction, Maas received additional armor and the bow was slightly lengthened.

As a Type 34 destroyer, the ship displaces 2360 tons under standard load and 3210 tons under full load. From bow to stern, the boat is 390.4 feet long, 37 feet beam and 37 feet draft. These ships have deep water capabilities, but their relatively shallow draft allows for near-shore capability.

Power comes from 6 water tube boilers feeding 2 geared steam turbines producing 70,000 hp and driving 2 shafts under the stern. Top speed in ideal conditions is 36 knots, which makes her quite fast, with a range of 1,530, which is quite limited for long patrol jobs.

There are approximately 325 crew members on board. The profile is traditional, with a forward superstructure containing the bridge and main mast. A pair of smoke funnels are located aft of the superstructure near the midship.

The second mast is located behind the rear chimney, directly in front of the rear superstructure. The gun emplacements are front and rear, with the torpedo launchers in between.

The armament is concentrated on the 5 x 5 inch main gun, the turret is mounted on a single gun mount, two of which are aimed above the forecastle and the remaining three are aimed at the stern. These guns were new to the German Navy and not dual-purpose (DP) like the tried-and-true 4.1" models - but they put the warship on par with French offerings.

2 x 37mm twin gun mounts and single gun The 6 x 20mm guns in the cradle provide anti-aircraft defense (AA). The warship is equipped with a pair of quadruple 21" torpedo launchers that can carry up to 60 mines and up to 64 depth charges (the latter with four transmitters or six racks).

The arrival of this class marked the revival of German naval capabilities during the interwar period. However, the stagnation in the design and construction of such ships meant that naval engineers were unfamiliar with practical modern methods, so the course consisted of a mix of techniques and practices, some of which were largely untested in naval combat.

One of the design problems with the streamlined, long warship was her tendency to take water at the bow, resulting in poor seaworthiness in rough seas.

The first four of the group completed the Type 34 standard and the next sixteen completed the Type 34A standard, with slight differences between them. The related Type 36 ships were nearly 20 feet longer than the original model, which helped make up for the poor seaworthiness of the earlier shipsbut it also reduced endurance somewhat.

The Leberecht Maass was one of the ships the Navy called to bombard Polish targets in Gdynia during the first round of World War II (September 1939). Maas was hit by coastal artillery on her superstructure during the entanglement and had to sail away the next day for repairs. She was not completed until September 10, and was mined from there in the North Sea in hopes of containing the British fleet.

Before the end of the month, the warship was recalled for an overhaul.

On February 22, 1940, the ship and other accompanying German ships were mistakenly attacked by German bombers, causing Maas to lose control of her and eventually sink with 280 people on board. Other sources say, based on recent evidence, the warship may have fallen prey to British mines before it ends.