german destroyer type class destroyer built nazi_germany kriegsmarine late 1930s beginning world war ship initially deployed blockade polish coast quickly transferred german bight lay minefields german waters late ship successful sortie english coast claimed british warship seven merchant ships early stages fought british destroyer transporting troops area early april ship damaged action ship fought naval battles days later scuttled exhausted ammunition design description overall length meters meters long waterline ship beam meters maximum draft meters displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load wagner geared steam turbines designed produce metric horsepower shp propel ship knots mph steam provided turbines high pressure boilers carried maximum metric tons long tons fuel oil intended range nautical miles knots mph ship proved heavy service fuel retained ballast low ship effective range proved nmi knots mph carried guns single mounts gun shields superimposed fore aft fifth gun carried rear anti aircraft armament consisted guns twin mounts abreast rear funnel guns single mounts ship carried water centimeter torpedo tubes power operated mounts pair torpedoes provided mount depth charge throwers mounted sides rear supplemented racks individual depth charges sides stern depth charges carried patterns charges rails fitted rear deck maximum capacity mines passive fitted detect submarines career ship ordered august laid kiel march yard number launched july completed july world war began september initially deployed baltic operate enforce blockade poland soon transferred german bight joined sisters laying defensive minefields ship patrolled inspect neutral shipping goods joined destroyers laying minefields british coast november laid magnetic mines middle thames estuary night november destroyer seven ships totalling gross register tons grt sunk minefield days later destroyers escorting battleships north_sea break north_atlantic sisters lay minefield night december trouble boilers shut ship ordered return port destroyers continued mission norwegian campaign allocated group norwegian portion april group task transport headquarters seize ships began loading troops april set sail day spotted british destroyer storm morning april ship turned away north west speed laying smoke screen german ship suffering damage heavy seas knots mph forced reduce speed knots mph lost men overboard british destroyer better suited conditions began close lieutenant commander captain turned ship north east closer heavy cruiser admiral hipper ships exchanged fire effect hour hipper came range sank shortly afterward german destroyers reached morning april commodore took flagship heavy allowed enter harbor challenge tie pier mountain troops immediately began ship spotted coast defense ship later ship immediately opened fire able fire approximately shells meters range able fire seven torpedoes struck norwegian ship detonated ship magazines immediately capsized sank norwegian shells hit german destroyers darkness falling snow despite short range lowered boats rescue surviving norwegian sailors able pick men boats harbor refuel single tanker safely later moved southern arm closer entrance shortly dawn april destroyers british 2nd surprised german destroyers harbor torpedoed destroyers badly damaged suffering minor damage beginning withdraw encountered destroyers alerted british began attack germans opened fire gunnery sides effective mist smoke screen laid british retreated german ships turn away avoid torpedoes fired destroyers alerted coming engage british german destroyers crossed british flotilla able fire range meters engaged british flagship badly damaged forward guns knocked forward superstructure set hardy forced beach sink german ships switched fire ship line fire relatively ineffective sides fired torpedoes scoring hits pulled dropped rear fight pursuit ships placed lead quickly set fire german ships probably hit torpedo rammed ship lost steering control able hunter capsized shortly afterward remaining british ships able escape germans cover smoke screen hit british shells knocked boiler repaired morning april received torpedoes badly damaged destroyers night april commander senior surviving german officer received word expect attack following day british capital ships escorted large number destroyers supported carrier aircraft battleship destroyers duly appeared april earlier commander expected caught germans position destroyers including charged harbor engaged british ships hits scored inflict splinter damage destroyers ship able torpedo attack british destroyers driven torpedoes missed lack ammunition forced german ships retreat easternmost branch east attempt ambush pursuing british destroyers exhausted ammunition beached head crew placed demolition charges abandoned ship time british reached ship rolled ship crew joined german troops ashore participated campaign british evacuated area june
German destroyer Z11 Bernd von Arnim