Kleber Destroyer

John A Silkstone

Kleber Destroyer

1936 KLEBER. Along with a sister-ship, the Desaix, Klber originally served with the Kriegs marine before serving briefly with the French Navy during the 1950s.

THE GERMAN TYPE 1934A DESTROYERS

These formed a class of 12 ships, launched in 1 936-7, four of which were lost on 13 April 1940. The survivors five of them were taken by the Royal Navy in 1945, and the following year, the USSR and France received two each. Kleber originally served as Z6, otherwise known as Theodore Riedel. Constructed by Deschimag of Bremen, she was laid down in the spring of 1935, launched on 22 April 1 936 and commissioned on 6 July 1937. She was renamed the Klber on 2 February 1946, but was not put into service until after a lengthy refit, which commenced in 1948 and finished in 1951. She served with the Mediterranean Fleet for two years, was then placed in reserve until 1957 and was then broken up.

DESIGN SHORTCOMINGS

Germany had very little experience of designing destroyers in 1934 the last ships of that type she had built had been laid down in 1916. Thus, it comes as little surprise to discover that the 1934-class ships, though they were amongst the fastest in the world at the time, were basically flawed. They were unstable, steered and manoeuvred poorly and were very wet indeed. Significant improvements before and during the Second World War included a new bow profile and roll keels, but a new stern form made them bow- heavy and stiff. Their ultra-high pressure boilers were always suspect.

TECHNICAL DATA

Type: Destroyer escort
Machinery: 2-shaft geared turbines producing 70,000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 121 m (397(t); beam, 11.3m (37(t)
Displacement: 1625t standard; 3165t deep load
Draught: 4m (13(t) full load
Complement: 315
Speed: 38.5 knots (71km/h)

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NAVAL SHIPS
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