Czechoslovak monitor President Masaryk

This article is about a river patrol boat. For the first president of Czechoslovakia and its namesake, see Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.
President Masaryk
President Masaryk
History
Czechoslovakia Nazi GermanyCzechoslovakia, Germany
NamePresident Masaryk, Bechelaren
NamesakeTomáš Garrigue Masaryk
Laid downAugust 1929
Launched1930[citation needed] or 1931[1]
CommissionedAugust 1932
Decommissioned1945, 1955
In service1932
Out of service1945, 1955
FateScrapped in 1978
General characteristics
Class and typeRiver monitor
Displacement214 t (full fuel load)
Length47.5 m (155 ft 10 in)
Beam6 m (19 ft 8 in)
Draft1.07 m (3 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • Original:
  • 2 steam turbines
  • 2,300 hp (1,700 kW)
  • 1943 Modification:
  • 2 diesel engines
  • 3,600 hp (2,700 kW)
Speed31 km/h (17 kn)
Endurance23 hours at full power
Complement37–46[2]
Armament
  • Original:
  • 4 × 66 mm cannon model 30
  • 4 x heavy machine gun vz. 24
  • 10 mines
  • (list not necessarily complete)
  • February 1945 Modification:
  • 2 x 88 mm cannon
  • 1 x 37 mm Flak gun
  • 5 x 20 mm Flak gun
  • (list not necessarily complete)
Armor
  • Bulletproof armor only
  • Belt: 10 mm (0.39 in)
  • Turrets: 8 mm (0.31 in)
  • Deck: 5 mm (0.20 in)

President Masaryk was a river monitor of the First Czechoslovak Republic, serving from 1932 until the dissolution of the republic in 1939. With four 66-millimetre (2.6 in) guns in two twin turrets,[1] it was that nation's most powerful warship of the 1930s and flagship of the Czechoslovakian river flotilla. After the German occupation, the ship was taken into the German army under the name Bechelaren and fought against the Soviets. It was scrapped in 1978.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bustelo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference CA1938 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).