German training ship Brummer

Brummer was a training ship of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II designed in the mid 1930s primarily for anti-aircraft gunnery training, she was also fitted for mine laying, her intended duty in wartime. Brummer was also used to test high pressure steam turbine systems designed for the German destroyers.

History
Nazi Germany
NameBrummer
BuilderDeSchiMAG, Bremen
Laid down27 December 1934
Launched29 May 1935
Commissioned8 February 1936
FateSunk on 15 April 1940 after being torpedoed by British submarine HMS Sterlet.
General characteristics
TypeTraining ship / minelayer
Displacement3,010 tonnes (2,960 long tons; 3,320 short tons)
Length112.9 m (370 ft 4.88 in)
Beam13.5 m (44 ft 3.50 in)
Draft4.27 m (14 ft 0.11 in)
Propulsiongeared turbines (Wagner), two shafts, 4 boilers, 10,150 shp (7.57 MW)
Speed23.1 knots (42.8 km/h; 26.6 mph)
Range2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi)
Complement226 (varying)
Armament
Armor30mm belt, 25mm deck

She took part in the invasion of Poland, laying mines off the Polish coast. In January 1940 she was used as a commerce raider in the Baltic Sea and later took part in the invasion of Norway; as a command ship of a transport squadron. On 14 April she was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Sterlet off Jutland, losing the complete bow section.

Design

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In the mid-1930s two artillery training ships were built to drill the gunnery personal of the Kriegsmarine. Although Brummer was primarily designed for anti-aircraft gunnery training, she was also fitted for mine laying, her intended primary duty during wartime.

Brummer was also used as an experimental ship for the high pressure steam turbine systems designed for the German destroyers. The propulsion system of Brummer showed no major design flaws, and the destroyers were fitted with an almost identical system. This design later proved to be unreliable when used in the destroyers.

Early history

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After being commissioned in 1936 Brummer worked up in the Baltic Sea, and was then attached to the Naval Air Defense and Artillery School (German: Marineflugabwehr- und Küstenartillerieschule) in Swinemünde in the spring of 1937. Between 1937 and 1938 Brummer made two visits to Odde, Göteborg, and Helsingborg.

Wartime career

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In September 1939, Brummer took part in the invasion of Poland, laying mines off the Polish coast. In January 1940 she was used as a commerce raider in the Baltic Sea.

In April 1940, Brummer took part in Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Norway; as a command ship of a transport squadron. On April 14 she was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Sterlet off Jutland, losing the complete bow section. The ship was held afloat for nine hours, finally capsizing in the early morning of the next day.

References

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58°55′N 9°56′E / 58.917°N 9.933°E / 58.917; 9.933