Albatros file photo [31103]

Albatros

CountryGermany
Ship Class1923-class Motor Torpedo Boat
Hull NumberAT
BuilderKriegsmarinewerft
Yard Number105
Ordered6 Apr 1925
Laid Down5 Oct 1925
Launched15 Jul 1926
Commissioned15 May 1927
Decommissioned10 Apr 1940
Displacement938 tons standard; 1,310 tons full
Length288 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft12 feet
MachineryThree water-tube boilers, two Schichau geared steam turbine sets, two shafts
Bunkerage321t fuel oil
Power Output23,000 shaft horsepower
Speed33 knots
Range1,800nm at 17 knots
Crew120
ArmamentBefore 1931: 3x10.5cm SK L/45 guns, 2x3x500mm torpedo tubes, 30 mines; Post-1931: 3x10.5cm SK L/45 guns, ?x533mm torpedo tubes, 2x2cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns, 30 mines

Contributor:

ww2dbaseAlbatros, commissioned in 1927, served as the 4th Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla of the German Navy. In 1928, she was Korvettenkapitän Karl Dönitz's flagship when the future admiral commanded the half-flotilla. In the spring of 1929, while departing from Wilhelmshaven, Germany, she collided with sister ship Möwe, putting both ships out of commission for four days for repairs. In 1931, she and light cruiser Königsberg participated in the 10th anniversary of the Latvian Navy in Liepaja (German: Libau), Latvia. In 1932, Königsberg and Albatros represented Germany at the celebration of the betrothal of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten of Sweden to Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In Oct 1934, she became the flagship of 2nd Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla based in Swinemünde, Germany (now Swinoujscie, Poland). She carried out three patrols in Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War, with the first two primarily to escort German ships, while the third saw her in combat action, escorting Admiral Scheer as the heavy cruiser bombarded Spanish Republican naval facilities at Almería, Spain. After a brief time in decommissioned, she returned to service in Jul 1938 as a part of the 6th Torpedo Boat Flotilla. Four months later, she was reassigned to the 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla, joining her sister ships Greif, Möwe, Kondor, and Falke. When the European War began in Sep 1939, she laid defensive mines in the North Sea beginning on 3 Sep 1939. In early Oct 1939, she, with sister ships Grief and Falke, plus three destroyers, patrolled the Kattegat and Skaggerak; the task force captured four ships. During the German invasion of Norway, she was a part of Group 5 tasked to captured Oslo, Norway; she transported about 100 troops while acting as one of the escort vessels for flagship heavy cruiser Blücher. In that role, on 8 Apr 1940, she attempted to counter attack British submarine HMS Triton, which had tried to attack the German force, and met with no success. Later on the same night, Norwegian patrol boat Pol III, realizing she was facing a German invasion force, rammed Albatros. Commanding officer Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Strelow ordered Albatros to open fire on Pol III, hitting her with at least two 10.5-centimeter shells, thus gaining the honor of having fired the opening salvos of the German-Norwegian war. As Pol III sank, Albatros took on some of the survivors. On the following day, Albatros engaged with Norwegian minelayer Olav Tryggvason at Karljohansvern; Albatros was hit by one shell at 0630 hours, killing two and wounding two, forcing her to withdraw. Ground troops forced the Norwegian garrison to surrender at 0735 hours. Later that morning, she was ordered to secure the submarine base at Teie alongside of sister ship Kondor and minesweeper R21. In the morning of 10 Apr 1940, Kondor and Albatros were engaged by coastal batteries on the island of Bolærne and were forced to turn back. Later on the same day, Albatros escorted merchant ship Curityba as she unloaded troops on the nearby island of Rauøy. When departing from Rauøy, Kapitänleutnant Strelow decided to sail east to avoid being challenged by the Bolærne batteries once again. Shortly after, Albatros struck the Gyren shoal at the speed of 20 knots, ripping open at least one fuel tank and causing flooding in the turbine and boiler rooms. Small explosions and fires were reported as well. Strelow gave the abandon ship order. Survivors were picked up by the auxiliary ship V707 Arthur Dunker.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jun 2021

Motor Torpedo Boat Albatros (AT) Interactive Map

Photographs

German torpedo boat Albatros, circa 1930s

Albatros Operational Timeline

5 Oct 1925 The keel of Albatros was laid down by Reichsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
15 Jul 1926 Albatros was launched by Reichsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
15 May 1927 Albatros was commissioned into service.
7 Dec 1932 Albatros was decommissioned from service; Grief took over as the flagship of the 4th Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla.
5 Oct 1933 Albatros was recommissioned into service with Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartmann in command.
1 Oct 1934 Albatros was made the flagship of 2nd Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla based in SwinemĂĽnde, Germany (now Swinoujscie, Poland).
24 Jun 1936 Albatros departed Spanish waters to escort light cruisers Köln and Leipzig on their return journey to Germany; Möwe replaced Albatros as the flagship of 2nd Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla.
28 Jul 1936 Albatros began her first patrol during the Spanish Civil War.
27 Aug 1936 Albatros completed her first patrol during the Spanish Civil War.
28 Sep 1936 Albatros began her second patrol during the Spanish Civil War.
29 Nov 1936 Albatros completed her second patrol during the Spanish Civil War.
24 May 1937 Spanish Republican aircraft dropped bombs on German torpedo boat Albatros at Palma at the Spanish island of Mallorca, causing no damage.
31 May 1937 Albatros escorted Admiral Scheer as the heavy cruiser bombarded Spanish Republican naval facilities at AlmerĂ­a, Spain.
16 Feb 1938 Albatros was decommissioned from service.
1 Jul 1938 Albatros was recommissioned into service and was assigned to 6th Torpedo Boat Flotilla.
3 Sep 1939 Albatros laid mines on the German North Sea coast.
3 Oct 1939 Albatros, Greif, and Falke began patrolling the Kattegat and Skaggerak.
5 Oct 1939 Albatros, Greif, and Falke completed patrolling the Kattegat and Skaggerak.
8 Apr 1940 Albatros attempted to hunt down British submarine HMS Triton, which had tried to attack the German force off the Norwegian coast; Triton escaped unharmed. Later that day, as the German force approached the Norwegian coast, Norwegian patrol boat Pol III rammed Albatros. Albatros fired upon Pol III, thus gaining the honor of having fired the opening salvos of the German-Norwegian war.
9 Apr 1940 Albatros was hit by a shell from Norwegian minelayer Olav Tryggvason at Karljohansvern, Horten, Norway, killing two and wounding two.
10 Apr 1940 Albatros escorted merchant ship Curityba as she unloaded troops on the Norwegian island of Rauøy. Upon completion of the escort mission, Albatros sailed southeast and struck the Gyren shoal southwest of Frederikstad, Norway at the speed of 20 knots. She was lost, and the survivors were taken aboard auxiliary ship V707 Arthur Dunker.




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More on Albatros
Personnel:
» Dönitz, Karl

Event(s) Participated:
» The Spanish Civil War
» Start of the Battle of the Atlantic
» Invasion of Denmark and Norway

Motor Torpedo Boat Albatros (AT) Photo Gallery
German torpedo boat Albatros, circa 1930s


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