Finnish minelayer Riilahti
Riilahti in 1942
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| History | |
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 Finland
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| Name: | Riilahti |
| Namesake: | Battle of Riilahti (1714) |
| Builder: | Wärtsilä Crichton-Vulcan |
| Launched: | 14 December 1940 |
| Fate: | Torpedoed and sunk 23 August 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Ruotsinsalmi-class |
| Displacement: | 310 t |
| Length: | 50.0 m (164.0 ft) |
| Beam: | 7.9 m (26 ft) |
| Draught: | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Armament: |
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Riilahti was a Ruotsinsalmi class minelayer of the Finnish Navy. Riilahti was commissioned in 1940 and sunk in 1943. The vessel was named after the battle of Riilahti, which was fought between Sweden and Russia in 1714.
Funding for two new minelayers had been secured as early as in 1937, but instead the money was used to refurbish the garrison at Mäkiluoto. Riilahti was launched on December 14, 1940, three weeks after her sister ship Ruotsinsalmi.
The ship had an extensively modified propulsion system and hull, compared to her sister vessel, and it took some time before the crew had figured out all the characteristics of the vessel.
Originally, the vessels were intended as escort minesweepers for the Finnish navy's coastal defence ships Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen, and they were therefore designed with a draft of only 1.5 m. Riilahti was armed with one 75 mm gun, one Bofors 40 mm guns and two Madsen 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons. The vessel had three mine dropping rails, and could carry about 100 mines. The ship could also hunt submarines, and was equipped with sonar, depth charge throwers and rails. The vessel was also strong enough to be ale to tow minesweeping equipment. She was equipped with smoke generators so she could protect itself, and other near-by vessels from the enemy.
Riilahti was commanded by kapteeniluutnantti Osmo Kivilinna during her entire career.
Riilahti and Ruotsinsalmi began mining the Gulf of Finland on June 26, 1941, immediately after the outbreak of the Continuation War. Riilahti launched almost 1,000 sea mines during 1941, most of them in the Juminda minefield.
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Wikipedia