M-class minesweeper (Germany)

M1940 series minesweeper in 1941
Class overview
NameM class
Operators
Subclasses
  • M1915
  • M1916
  • M1935
  • M1940
  • M1943
Built1937–1945 (not including older M1915 and M1916 ships)
Completed
  • M1935 : 69
  • M1940 : 131
  • M1943 : 18
Lost
  • M1935 : 35
  • M1940 : 63
  • M1943 : 1
General characteristics : M1935[1]
Displacement
  • 682 long tons (693 t) standard
  • 874 long tons (888 t) full load
Length68.4 m (224 ft 5 in)
Beam8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
Propulsion2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 oil-fired boilers, 3,200 hp (2,386 kW)
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement113
Armament
General characteristics : M1940[2]
Displacement
  • 543 long tons (552 t) standard
  • 775 long tons (787 t) full load
Length62.3 m (204 ft 5 in)
Beam8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propulsion2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers , 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement80
Armament
  • 1 × 105 mm (4.1 in) gun
  • 1 × 37 mm gun
  • 6–8 × 20 mm guns
General characteristics : M1943[3]
Displacement
  • 582 long tons (591 t) standard
  • 821 long tons (834 t) full load
Length67.8 m (222 ft 5 in)
Beam9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers, 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement107
Armament
  • 2 × 105 mm (4.1 in) guns
  • 2 × 37 mm guns
  • 6–8 × 20 mm guns

The M class were the standard minesweeper (German: Minensuchboot) of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The vessels were the primary force in Germany's harbor defense command and were organized administratively into minesweeper flotillas.

  1. ^ "Minensuchboot 1935 Technical Data". german-navy.de. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Minensuchboot 1940 Technical Data". german-navy.de. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Minensuchboot 1943 Technical Data". german-navy.de. Retrieved 10 September 2010.