- Yes
- No
History: ORP Kujawiak was one of 4 A 56 class torpedo boats given to Poland after WW1.
ORP Kujawiak, formerly the A 68 was launched on the 11th of April and commissioned the same year on the 13th of June. It would mostly serve as a training boat for the remainder of the war.
A 68 would later be towed to Rosyth before being awarded to Poland amongst 5 other torpedo boats despite British reluctance to bolster new navies.
After Poland payed the equivalent of 38,800 pounds sterling and 3 shillings to repair the boat, A 68 would be put it into drydock before multiple sea trials took place to determine it being fit for service.
On the 17th of September 1921, ORP Kujawiak along with ORP Kaszub and ORP Krakowiak had their dedication ceremony. ORP Kujawiak had to pump fuel to ORP Kaszub part way through the ceremony after the latter ran out of fuel. The next day Kujawiak had also ran out of fuel, needing the German Fishing boat Senator Brandt to tow ORP Kujawiak back to Kristiansand.
ORP Kujawiak would be rearmed multiple times over the course of her service in Poland. First she had two 47mm wz.85 guns along with 2x Maxim model 08 machine guns fitted when she entered Polish service. She would then swap the 47mms out for two wz. 97 75mm guns in 1925 thanks to a French loan. By 1937, ORP Kujawiak would trade one of her 75mm cannons for a crane to lift torpedos.
In August, 1937 (from the 22nd to 27th), ORP Kujawiak had a refit to fix the water leaks the hull was facing. On December 13th 1938, ORP Kujawiak would collide with ORP Sokół, resulting in in major damage to the hull.
In 1938, ORP Kujawiak would be placed into reserve and converted into a floating fuel tank. She would later joining the Minesweeper Squadron during the September campaign. She would sink on the 3rd of September after being attacked by German bombers in Oksywie.
Specifications:
Armament- 2x 75mm wz. 97 guns and 2x 7.92 Maxim model 08 machine guns
Crew- 40
Length- 60m
Beam- 6.4m
Draught- 2.3m
Max speed- 49.1km/h
Displacement- 392t fully loaded
Sources:
Jan Kazimierz Sawicki [ed.]: Naval Personnel of the Republic of Poland. Volume II: Polish Navy.
Lech Trawicki. The First 1000 Miles (completed). “Seas, Ships and Vessels”.