1960 HAMBURG. The Federal Republic of Germany constructed a class of four Type 101 A destroyers, led by the Hamburg, in the early 1960s, the biggest warships built in Germany since the Second World War.
NEW BIG DESTROYERS
West Germany acquired her first destroyers six ex-US Fletcher-class ships, all of them built in 1942 between 1958 and 1960, and at that same time decided to construct a small class of rather bigger vessels of her own. Originally they were to have been around 2500 tons standard displacement, but by the time they actually came to be built, that had increased by 850 tons, making them big ships for their class at that time, comparable in general with the US Navys Mitschers. All four ships were built by Stlcken in Hamburg, the Hamburg (Dl 81) herself being laid down in January 1959, launched on 26 March 1960 and completed, belatedly, on 23 March 1964. All four ships had been decommissioned by 1995, replaced by Brandenburg-class Type 123 frigates.
WEAPON SYSTEMS
As launched, the Hamburg mounted four 100mm dual-purpose guns, which fired a 13.5kg (301b) shell to a maximum range of 17,000m (9nm) at a rate of up to 60 rounds per minute. They were individually mounted in turrets, two forward and two aft, and in addition eight 40mm Breda light AA guns were also mounted. The ships were equipped with short-range sonar, and anti-submarine weaponry comprised twin quadruple Bofors missile launchers and depth charge projectors. They were equipped with five torpedo tubes, three forward and two aft. All four ships were modernised in the 1 970s, their boilers being modified to burn light oil and one of their stern- set DP guns being replaced by a pair of launchers for twin MM38 Exocet surface-to-surface missiles.
TECHNICAL DATA
Type: General-purpose destroyer Machinery: 2-shaft Wahodag turbines giving a total of 72,000shp
Dimensions (overall): length, 133.7m (438.75ft); beam, 13,4m (44ft)
Displacement: 3340t standard; 4330t deep load
Draught: 52m (17ft) standard
