The Göteborg class was a Swedish World War II destroyer class. Built from 1936–1941 the class was designed as escort and neutral guard destroyers. In total six ships were constructed, HSwMS Göteborg, HSwMS Stockholm, HSwMS Malmö, HSwMS Karlskrona, HSwMS Gävle and HSwMS Norrköping. After World War II the destroyers, later rebuilt as frigates, continued to serve in the Swedish navy. The last ship was decommissioned in 1968.
.jpg) Göteborg
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |  Swedish Navy |
| Preceded by | Klas class |
| Succeeded by | Visby class |
| Built | 1933–1941 |
| In commission | 1936–1968 |
| Planned | 6 |
| Completed | 6 |
| Retired | 6 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,040 long tons (1,060 t) (standard) |
| Length | 92.7 m (304 ft 2 in) |
| Beam | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 screws; 2 geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph) |
| Range | 1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 130 |
| Armament |
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History
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In 1933 the Swedish government granted the construction of two new destroyers.[1] The destroyers were given names of Swedish coast towns and so this class was called Stadsjagare ("Town-class destroyers"). The first ship was delivered in 1936 and the second in 1937. In 1936 two additional destroyers were ordered and after the war broke out a third pair was ordered as well.[2] After the war all destroyers except Göteborg which was in poor shape from the Hårsfjärden disaster received a refit where the center gun was moved to the X position on the aft deckhouse and the anti-aircraft armament (consisting of four modern Bofors 40 mm L/70 guns) was concentrated on a platform around the rear funnel. In 1958–1963 three of the destroyers were rebuilt as frigates that included a change of armament. The first ship to be decommissioned was Göteborg in 1958. In the decade that followed all ships were decommissioned, the last in 1968.
The famous Swedish marine engineer Curt Borgenstam called the Göteborg class the most beautiful and well working destroyer class to have served in the Swedish navy.[3]
Ships
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| Name | Number | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Göteborg | 5 | Götaverken | 1934 | 14 October 1935 | October 1936 | Stricken 15 August 1958[4] Sunk as target 14 August 1962[5] |
| Stockholm | 6 | Karlskrona dockyard | 1934 | 24 March 1936 | 27 November 1937 | Stricken 1 January 1964[4] Scrapped 1965[6] |
| Malmö | 7 | Eriksberg | 1937 | 22 September 1938 | 15 August 1939 | Stricken 1 January 1964[4] Scrapped 1970[6] |
| Karlskrona | 8 | Karlskrona dockyard | 1937 | 19 June 1939 | 12 September 1940 | Stricken 1 July 1974[4] Scrapped 1979[6] |
| Norrköping | 10 | Eriksberg | 1939 | 25 September 1940 | 9 April 1941 | Stricken 1 February 1965[4] |
| Gävle | 9 | Götaverken | 1939 | 23 September 1940 | 30 June 1941 | Stricken 6 December 1968[4] Used as generator at Simpevarp nuclear power station[6] |
References
edit- ^ Borgenstam, Insulander & Kaudern 1989, p. 48
- ^ Borgenstam, Insulander & Kaudern 1989, p. 50
- ^ Borgenstam, Insulander & Kaudern 1989, p. 52
- ^ a b c d e f Whitley 2000, p. 249
- ^ Westerlund 1980, p. 372
- ^ a b c d Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 443
Sources
edit- Borgenstam, Curt; Insulander, Per; Kaudern, Gösta (1989), Jagare: med Svenska flottans jagare under 80 år (in Swedish), Västra Frölunda: Marinlitteratur, ISBN 91-970700-4-1, SELIBR 7792227
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1995), Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995, Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1-55750-132-7
- Westerlund, Karl-Erik (1980). "Sweden". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 368–377. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Westerlund, Karl-Erik (1985). "Sweden". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 355–363. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
- Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.