Hydra boats, 1945

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:09 am

Hello Gentlemen,

the German Navy used a Hydra (small motor boats, 13 m long, armed with a pair of torpedoes) Flotilla from the Schelde since Jan. 1945 until the end of the war.
Were these boats manned by KV or by the navy costal forces like the quite bigger Schnellboats?
What was their activity? Anything for the record?

Bye

EC

phylo_roadking · Post by **phylo_roadking** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:09 pm

EC I know they developed a sort of kamikaze mtorboat around then, had it on standby but never used, and two attempts at one-man submarines - discussed elsewhere - that TURNED OUT to be suicide machines.....is tTHIS what was meant at the time by your Hydra?

phylo

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Sat May 13, 2006 5:50 am

Not. Hydra boats were mini-motor torpedo boats, with all the sea going limits of such small crafts. The Germans believed (wrongly) their number could balance their minimal seaworhtness.

Bye

EC

Paul Lakowski · Post by **Paul Lakowski** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:54 pm

Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... index.html

Paul Lakowski · Post by **Paul Lakowski** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:55 pm

Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... index.html

or did you mean this one?

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... index.html

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:11 am

Hi Paul,
thank you for the VERY interesting links. Anyway the HYDRA boats were midget MTBs like the Italian MTSMA ones and they are not included in your record.

Greetings

EC

Paul Lakowski · Post by **Paul Lakowski** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:42 pm

Enrico Cernuschi wrote:Hi Paul,
thank you for the VERY interesting links. Anyway the HYDRA boats were midget MTBs like the Italian MTSMA ones and they are not included in your record.

Greetings

EC

Thanks Enrico, heres a site that details the Italian boats and at 3.5 tons with a crew of 2 they are indeed going to be short range and limited .

http://www.regiamarina.it/carmezaseng.htm

But I have found nothing on German boats unless you mean these designs?

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... index.html

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:50 am

No, I don't.
The tiny boats I'm looking for are mentioned by Whitley in his book about the German Coastal Forces and were of classic design.

EC

ptdockyard · Post by **ptdockyard** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:05 pm

Have you looked in Groener's? I'll check there this weekend.

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

Peter K. · Post by **Peter K.** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Hi ENRICO!

Nice to read you again after a long time ...

Developped by the Krögerwerft, Warnemünde, 2 HYDRA-boats were ordered as prototypes on 19.09.1944:
12,37/13,17 x 3,1 x 1,05 m, 7,45 t
650 PS Avia-Hispano-Suiza-petrol engine type 12y31 for 36 kts
fuel 1.100 l for 290 nm/25 kts or 152 nm/36 kts
2 torpedoes 45 cm type F5b

During winter 1944/45 the types HYDRA, KOBRA, SCHLITTEN and WAL were compared in respect of their seaworthness and the type HYDRA won this practical test.

On 01.12.1944 a second serie of 50 boats was ordered with 1.400 l of fuel for 370 nm/25 kts resp. 180nm/36 kts. Moreover these boats were equipped with an AA-MG.
A third serie of 115 boats was ordered on 08.02.1945.

Building yards were:
Krögerwerft Warnemünde, Krögerwerft Stralsund, Schlichting-Werft, Lürssen-Werft, Danziger Waggonfabrik, Hamburger Werft and the small yards Gebrüder Engelbrecht, Karl Mathan, Robert Franz, Karl Vertens, H. Heidtmann and Hinrich von Cölln.

Only 39 boats were finally finished!

Greetings from Austria
Peter K.

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:57 pm

Wonderful Peter K.
Did these boats fight in 1945?

EC

Peter K. · Post by **Peter K.** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:02 am

Sorry ENRICO, no information available ...

ptdockyard · Post by **ptdockyard** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:52 pm

The latest ( arrived September 29) Warship International had a few pages on these small craft. There is a drawing of a Hydra and brief mention that they were used in 1945- no details.

alross2 · Post by **alross2** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:17 pm

There are several pages of text, drawings, and photos of a HYDRA in Harold Fock's FAST FIGHTING BOATS 1870-1945.

Al Ross

Paul Lakowski · Post by **Paul Lakowski** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:42 pm

Realise this is a LITTLE late

but I found this kool site....

http://www.navypedia.org/ships/germany/ger_mb_hydra.htm

Displacement standard, t

Displacement full, t
7.4
Length, m
13.2

Breadth, m
3.10
Draught, m
1.05
No of shafts
1

Machinery
1 Hispano-Suiza aircraft petrol engine

H53: 1 Junkers aircraft petrol engine

Power, h. p.
650

Max speed, kn
36

Fuel, t
H1, 2: petrol 1100 l

others: petrol 1400 l

Armament
H1, 2: 2 - 450 TT

others: 1 x 1 - 7.9/79, 2 - 450 TT

Complement
4

"Hydra" 1944

Names
H1 - 4, 53, 55 - 74, 101 - 116, 201 - 230, 251 - 282, 301 - 365

Builders
Krögerwerft, Warnemünde: H1 - 4, 53, 55 - 64

Krögerwerft, Stralsund: H65 - 74

Gebrüder Engelbrecht, Köpenick: H101 - 116

Lürssen, Vegesack: H201 - 230

Danziger Waggonfabrik: H251 - 260

Karl Mathan, Berlin: H261, 262

Robert Franz: H263, 264

Karl Vertens, Winning: H265 - 268

H. Heidtmann, Hamburg: H269 - 272

Hamburger Werft, Hamburg: H273 - 280

Hinr. von Cölln, Hamburg: H281, 282

Schlichtingwerft, Travemünde: H301 - 365

Commissioned
1945: H1 - 4, 53, 55 - 62, 65 - 69, 110 - 116, 251 - 254, 301 - 310

Losses
incomplete: H63, 64, 70 - 74, 201 - 230, 255 - 282, 311 - 365

other losses: unknown

Transfers
none

Discarding
unknown

Modernizing notes: none.

Fate Notes: none.

Feldgrau.net

Hydra boats, 1945

Hydra boats, 1945

Re: Hydra boats, 1945