


SP1
Country | Germany |
Ship Class | Spähkreuzer 1938-class Scout Cruiser |
Builder | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft |
Slip/Drydock Number | VII |
Ordered | 1 Feb 1941 |
Laid Down | 20 Aug 1941 |
Displacement | 5,791 tons standard |
Length | 475 feet |
Beam | 45 feet |
Draft | 15 feet |
Machinery | Two MAN 6-cyl diesel engines |
Speed | 36 knots |
Range | 7,000nm at 17 knots |
Crew | 200 |
Armament | 3x2x150mm guns, 2x88mm anti-aircraft guns, 8x37mm anti-aircraft guns, 8x20mm anti-aircraft guns, 10x533mm torpedo tubes |
Armor | 25mm belt, 25mm deck |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseZ40, known during her planning stages as SP1, was the lead ship of Spähkreuzer 1938-class scout cruisers. Her keel was laid down by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany on 20 Aug 1941, with plans to feature a single forward 2-gun turret and two rear 2-gun turrets in order to give her greater firepower as they fall back from their forward scout positions ahead of their task forces. She was scheduled to be launched in Nov 1942 and be commissioned into service in the spring of 1944. In Apr 1942, an air raid damaged Germaniawerft, causing a halt in construction. Shortly after, the entire class was abandoned as the German Navy shifted its long term strategic vision. She was the only one of six planned ships of this class that was actually laid down.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia
Last Major Revision: Dec 2020
Scout Cruiser SP1 Interactive Map
SP1 Operational Timeline
1 Feb 1941 | The order for scout cruiser SP1 (later renamed Z40) was issued by the German Navy. |
20 Aug 1941 | The keel of SP1 (later renamed Z40) was laid down by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany. |
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