German destroyer Z43
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
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| Name: | Z43 |
| Builder: | AG Weser (Deschimag), Bremen |
| Laid down: | 1 May 1942 |
| Launched: | 22 September 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 24 March 1944 |
| Fate: | Badly damaged by a mine on 10 April 1945, and scuttled on 3 May of that same year |
| Notes: | Captained by Kapitän Zur See Wenninger and later Fregattenkapitän Lampe |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Zerstörer 1936B |
| Displacement: | 3,540 long tons (3,600 t) maximum |
| Length: | |
| Beam: | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
| Draught: | 4.21 m (13 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph) |
| Range: | 2,600 nmi (4,800 km) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) |
| Complement: | 330 |
| Armament: |
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Z43 was a Type 1936B destroyer of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 1 May 1942 at Deschimag in Bremen, launched on 22 September 1943 and commissioned on 24 March 1944. Her service was with the 6th Destroyer Flotilla in the Baltic Sea under the command of Kapitän zur See Wenniger and later Fregattenkapitän Lampe. She mainly escorted ships, including the Heavy Cruiser Admiral Scheer, and participated in a minelaying operation in December 1944, where her sisters Z35 and Z36 were sunk. She was badly damaged by a mine on 10 April 1945, and scuttled on 3 May of that same year.
Z43 was a Type 1936B-class destroyer, which meant that the twin 15.9 cm (6.3 in) turrets positioned on the bow and stern of the ship were removed. This was because the older Type 1936A class of destroyers were deemed less stable. The twin turrets, which were planned to have been used on the O-class battlecruisers but diverted due to time constraints were removed and replaced with five single 12.7 centimetres (5.0 in) turrets, along with more anti-aircraft defences. Besides that, the ship retained the main characteristics of the 1936A class. They displaced 2,527 tonnes (2,487 long tons), and were manned by 321 sailors and officers. Although they had a maximum speed of 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph), their range was 6,200 metres (6.2 km) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Her main armament of five 12.7 cm SK C/34 naval guns could be depressed to −10° and raised to 30°. They had an arc of fire of 360°, meaning that they could rotate a full circle, able to fire at any given point. The guns fired 28-kilogram (62 lb) high-explosive shells at a muzzle velocity of 830 metres per second (2,700 ft/s) to a range of 17,400 metres (19,000 yd). The destroyer also carried four 3.7 cm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns and six 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft guns in pairs. She had eight 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes and, when fitted as a minelayer, could carry 76 mines.
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