HNoMS Ålesund Destroyer

Til_Dovre_Faller · February 16, 2024, 9:48pm

HNoMS ÅLESUND

TYPE: Destroyer
SISTERSHIP: Bygenummer 129
LAUNCHED: 30 June 1943
PICTURE: Ålesund after the war, behind the first ship

ARMAMENT
Norwegian verison “Ålesund”

Spoiler

2x 120mm Bofors Cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/44
-Placement: 2x separate rear
-Armour: Armored shield, unknown thickness
1x2 120mm Bofors Cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/44
-Placement: 1 double facing forward
-Armour: Armored shield, unknown thickness
4x 40mm Bofors cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/60
2x 12.7x99mm Colt water-cooled machineguns
2x Depth charge launchers
2x4 53.3cm Torpedocannons
-Information: 2x cannons with 4 tubes each
-Torpedo:
Whitehead Model XV
-Dimension: 53.34 Centimeter
-Length: 5.15 Meter
-Weight: 970 Kilogram
-Warhead: 250 Kilogram
Speed and ranges:
40 Knots 4500-5000 Meter
33 Knots 8000 - 8500 Meter

German verison “Zerstörer TA8”

Spoiler

3x 105mm SK C/32 Cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/42
-Placement: 2 in back and one in front
2x 37mm FlaK M/43 cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/57
1x4 20mm C/38 cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/65
2x1 20mm C/38 cannons
-Barrel length in caliber: L/65
2x4 53.3cm Torpedocannons
-Information: 2x cannons with 4 tubes each
-Torpedo:
Whitehead Model XV
-Dimension: 53.34 Centimeter
-Length: 5.15 Meter
-Weight: 970 Kilogram
-Warhead: 250 Kilogram
Speed and ranges:
40 Knots 4500-5000 Meter
33 Knots 8000 - 8500 Meter

TECHNICAL DATA
Displacement: 1.700 Metric Tons
Lenght: 97.3 Meter
Width: 10.0 Meter
Depth: 5.5 Meter

MACHINERY
2x Del Laval turbines
-Power: 25.000 A/Indicated Horse Powers
-Speed: 33 Knots (61.11 Km/h)
-Bunker: 300 Metric Tons of Oil

CREW
Estimated crew: 162 Men

ARMOR
Hull material: Steel
Cannon shields

TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
1940: Under construction in Horten, Decided by the Germans that the work should be completed
1943: Launched as German TA 8
1945: Sunk during air attack on Horten 23 February
1945: Raised and planned to be completed as Ålesund
1952: The hull and machinery advertised for sale

HISTORY
Byggenummer 129 and Byggenummmer 130 (Ålesund) were two Norwegian-designed and partially built torpedo destroyers. These were originally planned to be armed with 4x Bofors guns, 4x 40mm Bofors guns, 2x 12.7mm machine guns and 2 torpedo guns with 4 tubes. It is not entirely certain how far they got with the construction, but the hull if much else was finished, presumably it was weapons and the like that remained. But construction was interrupted when the Germans invaded Norway and took Horten Shipyard.

After a while, in the month of May, the Germans decided that the work on the destroyer would be completed. It then received an armament consisting of 3x1 105mm guns, 2x1 37mm guns, 1x4 20mm guns, 2x1 20mm guns and the same torpedo guns as on the Norwegian version with the same Whitehead Model XV as on the Norwegian variant. It is then because the Norwegian torpedo factory was nearby and the Germans continued production there, they also had some in stock, as these torpedoes were used on several of the previously built torpedo destroyers, such as HNoMS Sleipner, Æger, Gyller, Tor , Odin and Balder.

in 1943 the torpedo destroyer was launched by the Germans, but the boat was not quite finished either, but it was launched and given the name TA8. it was left near the Hoten shipyard for quite some time, was probably worked on in the meantime. until it was sunk during air strikes by the Allies, which roughly leveled the shipyard and various buildings in the area, including the torpedo factory. Building number 130 Ålesund was damaged by this and sank, where it remained until 1945, when the war was over and taken over by the Royal Norwegian Navy again. They raised the ship again and repaired it, at the same time as it was planned and completed to build it as it was meant to be like Ålesund.

What happened next is not entirely certain, whether it was completed or not, but in 1952 several parts, including the engine and the hull, were put up for sale.

Norway had a torpedofactory, and made it’s own torpedoes for many many years before ww2, and these Whitehead Model XV are Norwegian modified torpedoes that are produced at the Norwegian torpedofactory that was located at Horten shipyard. Unfortunately the factory was bombed and razed to the ground by allied bombers, and much information were lost because of this.

IN GAME
In-game this will be an excellent part of a combined tree with Norway, Denmark and Iceland, possibly part of a future Swedish/Finnish tree. I also think that this fits in the Bluewater tree. With the Norwegian equipment, I think it can end up at a br of 4.3-5.3 somewhere. The guns are strong and good, so are the torpedoes and it has good mobility and speed, so it should probably go well. The German version, on the other hand, could perhaps be a little lower, as it has slightly weaker guns, but much better anti-aircraft armament, this model could probably end up somewhere between 4.0 and 5.0. Which tree it should have been added to is not entirely certain, presumably it could be added to the German tree, but one option is also to add it to the future Swedish/Finnish tree or to a Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic tree. Judging from how many ships Nazi Germany captured and modified, the latter option would probably be the best, but I guess we’ll see what happens

The sistership Byggenummer 129 are identical to the 130, no know difference, so i will post some pictures of the Byggenummer 129 Hull.

PICTURES

Sketch of the Norwegian verison of the vessel extremely informative

Spoiler

This show placements and much else, even the windage of cannons and torpedocannons. I can translate and help with that if nessesary, this descrives every room in the vessel as well