HNoMS Valkyrjen - "The ladies' ship"

Til_Dovre_Faller · February 5, 2024, 6:35pm

HNoMS Valkyrjen

TYPE: Torpedo division boat
BUILDING SITE: Schichau Elbing, Germany
LAUNCHED: 1896
HOIST COMMAND: 17 May 1896

ARMAMENT 1896

Spoiler

2x 76mm Armstrong rapid firing cannons
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/40
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
4x 37mm Armstrong cannon
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/45
-Mount: Armstrong Rapid-firing cannon as stern gunner with shield of 6mm special steel
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
2x 45.7cm torpedocannons
-Withead torpedo
-Most likely Whiteead model Whitehead Modell IIIc and Vc
-Exact topedocannon unknown
Torpedoes:
Whitehead model IIIc
45cm x 4,1 m
Whitehead model Vc
45cm x 4,6

ARMAMENT 1910

Spoiler

2x 76mm Armstrong rapid firing cannons
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/40
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
4x 37mm Armstrong cannon
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/45
-Mount: Armstrong Rapid-firing cannon as stern gunner with shield of 6mm special steel
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
2x 45.7cm Whitehead torpedocannons
-Torpedoes:
Whitehead Model VII
45cm x 5,30 m
Weight: 661 kilograms
Warhead: 100 kilograms
Speeds:
42.5kn/1000 metres
38.8kn/1500 metres
35.4 kn/2000 metres
30.7kn/3000 metres
26.7kn/4000 metres
Whitehead Model VIII
45cm x 5,2 m
Weight: 734 kg includen net braker
Weight: 724 kg without net breaker
Warhead: 100 kilograms
Speeds:
44kn/1000 Meters
39-40kn/2000 metres
26.5kn/6000 metres

ARMAMENT 1913

Spoiler

2x 76mm Armstrong rapid firing cannons
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/40
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
4x 37mm Armstrong cannon
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/45
-Mount: Armstrong Rapid-firing cannon as stern gunner with shield of 6mm special steel
-Manufacturer: Armstrong
-Armor: Armored shield, ca 6mm special steel
2x 37mm Hotchkiss Revolvercannons
-Barrel lenght in caliber: L/20
-Placement/mount: Placed on each side of the brigde
-Barrels: 5x
-Cartrigde 37x94R
-Cannon weight without foot: 206 Kilogram
-Rounds per minute: up to 68x, 1 bullet per 0.8 Second it can be faster and it can be slower, this is hand-driven, so the rate of fire depends on how fast you manage to crank!
-Accuracy: Accurate up to 1.800m
-Magazine capasity: Each magazine held 10 rounds and weigh 8kg
2x 45.7cm Whitehead torpedocannons
-Torpedoes:
Whitehead Model VII
45cm x 5,30 m
Weight: 661 kilograms
Warhead: 100 kilograms
Speeds:
42.5kn/1000 metres
38.8kn/1500 metres
35.4 kn/2000 metres
30.7kn/3000 metres
26.7kn/4000 metres
Whitehead Model VIII
45cm x 5,2 m
Weight: 734 kg includen net braker
Weight: 724 kg without net breaker
Warhead: 100 kilograms
Speeds:
44kn/1000 Meters
39-40kn/2000 metres
26.5kn/6000 metres

TECHNICAL DATA
Displacement: 415 Metric Tons
Lenght: 59.4 Meter
Width: 7.4 Meter
Depth: 2.6 Meter

MACHINERY
2x triple expansion steam eignes
-Power: 3.250 Indicated Horse Powers
2 Thornycroft boilers
-Speed: 23.2 Knots (42.96 Km/h)
Bunker: 88 Metric Tons of Coal

CREW
Estimated crew: 59 Men

ARMOR
Hull material: Steel

TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
1896: Launched
1896: Hoist command the 17th of may, the Norwegian national day!
1896: Built for funds collected from the country’s women
1896: Coastal Defense Department cruise
1898: Mobilization exercises
1899: Squadron trip to Copenhagen
1899: Mobilization exercises
1900: Squadron exercises
1905: Squadron tour 1905
1905: Accompanied the royal ships Dannebrog and Heimdal to Kristiania
1913: Supervision service on the coast of Finnmark
1920: Command canceled 27 September 1920
1922: Obsolete
1923: Sold

THE LADIES’ SHIP
The nickname “The ladies’ ship” comes from the fact that it was the women in the Norwegian Defense Association who were responsible for collecting a “Call” for a new warship and they collected a total of NOK 600,000, which then went to the “Valkyrjen” which was then built at Schichau, Elbing, in Germany and launched in 1896. The women advertised the warship at many events.

SERVICE OF THE VALKYRJEN
Although within the actual handover there had also been a drastic change in the Government’s willingness to invest in the Navy, the Navy greatly benefited from the Valkyrjen. As mentioned, it operated a lot together with the torpedo boats, which partly received useful training against a torpedo destroyer, and partly received support from the much larger vessel. Due to its command and support function, the Valkyrjen is most often referred to as a torpedo division ship. The Valkyrjen had a displacement of 450 tonnes, had a crew of 53 men and could do about 23.2 knots. With its sharp bow and fine lines, it looked good, and it was one of our first vessels with electric light from its own unit. With a 76mm gun at each end and two 37mm guns on each side, it was obviously a threat to other torpedo boats, and it could give our torpedo boats some protection. In addition, it had two torpedo tubes on deck. However, there were quite early complaints that the Valkyrjen was not fast enough or powerful enough to be able to protect the smaller vessels against modern fighters. In addition, it was said that the vessel maneuvered poorly, presumably because the two propellers were placed so close that they overlapped each other, and that the underwater hull did not have an optimal design. Nevertheless, it was used a lot, and it was hardly just out of courtesy to the women who had donated it to the Navy. Every single year from 1896 to 1901 it was equipped for 6-7 weeks of torpedo practice as well as some mobilization exercises. From 1902-1904 it was not equipped, possibly because we then used the armored ships or Heimdal in the role of division vessel. In 1905 it was of course equipped, both during the preparedness exercise, during the mobilization and at the reception of the new king in November. Then it was out for a few years, before from 1909-1913 it was again equipped every year, and then for up to 12 weeks, despite the fact that we then had our modern fighters Draug and Troll. In the autumn of 1913, it went directly to Finnmark on the occasion of riots by moth whalers. It then had two extra revolver guns on the bridge. It had a lasting role somewhat later during riots in Sulitjelma.

During the First World War, Valkyrjen first took command on 7 September 1915 and the vessel then entered the Vestlandseskadren, led by Commander Gade. The Vestland squadron operated from Jærens Rev to Hustadvika. Its array of warships in addition to guard vessels shows how important this area was. The armored ship Harald Hårfagre was the command ship, but otherwise Frithjof, Heimdal, Viking, Troll and Draug, as well as 18 torpedo boats and five minesweepers were attached to the squadron. However, the Valkyrjen is barely mentioned in the overview of the many incidents and trials, so we had to check with the log books that the vessel had actually been equipped. It had, and with the exception of a few months in the autumn of 1917, things went smoothly between Haugesund and Ålesund, but without being involved in special incidents. It also emerged from the log books that Leif Welding Olsen, as a young second lieutenant, was on board for the last year. The Valkyrjen was also equipped in both 1919 and 1920, but on 27 September 1920 it was in command for the last time. Two years later it was finally disposed of and chopped up. The gunboat was dismantled and reused, and luckily there was also someone who had the foresight to take care of the officers’ mess and an adjacent cabin, which can therefore still be experienced at the Marine Museum.

WEAPONS PLACEMENT 1896

Spoiler

-Rear: 1x 76mm Armstrong
-Rear right side: 1x 37mm Armstrong
-Rear on deck: 1x145.7cm Torpedocannon
-Middle on deck: 1x1 45.7cm Torpedocannon
-Middle right side: 1x 37mm Armstrong
-Front: 1x 76mm Armstrong

-Rear left side: 1x 37mm Armstrong
-Middle left side1x 37mm Armstrong

WEAPONS PLACEMENT 1913

Spoiler

-Rear: 1x 76mm Armstrong
-Rear right side: 1x 37mm Armstrong
-Rear on deck: 1x145.7cm Torpedocannon
-Middle on deck: 1x1 45.7cm Torpedocannon
-Middle right side: 1x 37mm Armstrong
-Middle right side on brigde: 1x 37mm Hotckiss Revolvercannon
-Front: 1x 76mm Armstrong