H.M Torpedkryssare Clas Uggla
- Yes
- No
- Bluewater
- Coastal
- I said No
HM Torpedkryssare Clas Uggla (Also known as Claes Uggla and Klas Uggla) was a torpedo cruiser that served with the Swedish navy between 1900 and 1917. She was built by Bergsunds mekaniska verkstad at the Finnboda shipyard as the fifth and last torpedo cruiser of the Örnen class. She served well with her sisters for many years until april of 1917 when she would end up running aground and becoming stuck when out during gunnery practice. After unsuccessful attempts to tow her loose she would be left stranded there for almost 2 months before breaking apart and sinking in august of 1917.
History
In the late 1800’s the Swedish navy needed a ship type that was quick and agile to effectively do reconnaissance in the archipelago while being strong enough to fight any torpedo boats or smaller war ships that may show up there. It was found that a torpedo cruiser, a ship that was popular with many European powers at the time, would fit the desired performance. As such in 1895 it was decided to pursue such a warship which would end up being HM Örnen and the beginning of the Örnen class. In 1896 two sisterships were ordered and later in 1897 two more, the class would end up with five ships, HM Torpedkryssare Örnen, Jacob Bagge, Claes Horn, Psilander and Clas Uggla. HM Clas Uggla would be delivered to the navy on the 28th of november 1900, after being built by Bergsunds mekaniska verkstad at the Finnboda shipyard.
HM Clas Uggla In all her glory.
HM Clas Uggla would serve quietly during her career, doing nothing in particular during the leadup to ww1 while spending her time patrolling the coast as a part of the neutrality guard during the war. On the 22nd of June in 1917 however, HM Clas Uggla would run aground in a shallow region in the waters south of Ulvön on the high coast while out during gunnery practice. She would get stuck quite badly in the shallows and would start listing. Nearby torpedo boats tried to help tow her out, managing to get her upright, though that only made it worse as she started to take in water faster. Soon enough a proper tug boat that was passing by tried the same but to no avail, two more tug boats tried helping but still she wouldn’t budge. Abandoning ship, the crew returned to the mainland as Clas Uggla remained stuck. Two months later on the 30th of August, Clas Uggla would break apart and sink, ending her career.
HM Clas Uggla listing.
Armament and Stats
Length: 71 Meters
Width: 8,2 Meters
Draught: 3,2 Meters
Deplacement: 800 Tons
Crew: 112 Men
Speed: 20,8 Knots
Main weaponry: 2 x 12cm Kanon m/94, they could fire at around 10 shells a minute each, they had a range of around 8-9km’s.
12 cm cannon’s available shells:
21 kg HE shell with 1.26kg of filler.
21 kg SAP and SAPBC shell with 504 grams of filler.
21 kg Shrapnel shell with 210 grams of filler.
All had a velocity of 740 m/s
Secondary weaponry: 4 x 57mm snabbskjutande kanon m/89B, two on each side. They could fire at a maximum of 35 shells a minute each, they had a range of around 5km’s.
57 mm cannon’s available shells:
2,7 kg APHE (Steel) shell with 97 grams of filler.
2,7 kg APHE (Iron) shell with 72 grams of filler.
All had a velocity of 704 m/s
Torpedo weaponry: 38,1 cm submerged torpedo tube in the bow firing a 38,1 cm Torped m/93 (A, B and C)
The m/93C of which weighed 416 kg, had a range of 1000 Meters with a speed 26 knots per hour, warhead weight was 60,2 kg of gunpowder.
Armor: Nickle steel
19mm deck.
40mm’s on the conning tower and 12cm gun shields.
15mm on the 57mm gun shields.
