View source for German torpedo boat T27

{{Short description|German torpedo boat}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}} 
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=T 35 as DD 935 in US seas August 1945.jpg
|Ship caption=[[Sister ship]] {{ship|German torpedo boat|T35||2}} in US service, August 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Nazi Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|Ship name=''T27''
|Ship ordered=10 November 1939
|Ship builder=[[Schichau-Werke|Schichau]], [[Elbing]], [[East Prussia]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=1486
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=2 July 1941
|Ship launched=20 June 1942
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=17 April 1943
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship fate=[[Ship grounding|Ran aground]], 29 April 1944
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (as built)
|Ship class= [[Type 39 torpedo boat|Type 39]] [[torpedo boat]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1294|t|LT|abbr=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|1754|t|LT|abbr=on}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|102.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam= {{convert|10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|3.22|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × shafts
*2 × geared [[steam turbine]] sets
|Ship speed= {{convert|33.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= {{cvt|2400|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}
|Ship power=*4 × [[water-tube boilers]]
*{{convert|32000|shp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=206
|Ship sensors=*''S-Gerät'' [[sonar]]
*FuMO 21 [[radar]]
|Ship armament= *4 × single [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{cvt|10.5|cm|in}}]] guns
*2 × twin [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{cvt|3.7|cm}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*1 × quadruple, 2 × single [[2 cm FlaK 30/38/Flakvierling|{{cvt|2|cm|1}}]] AA guns
*2 × triple {{cvt|533|mm|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*30–60 [[naval mine|mines]]
*4 × [[depth charge]] launchers
}}
|}

The '''German torpedo boat ''T27''''' was one of fifteen [[Type 39 torpedo boat]]s built for the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' (German Navy) during [[World War II]]. Completed in early 1943, the boat was transferred to France in August. ''T27'' helped to lay a [[naval mine|minefield]] in the [[English Channel]] the following month, and later escorted a [[blockade runner]] through the [[Bay of Biscay]]. She participated in the [[Battle of Sept-Îles]] in October and played a minor role in the [[Battle of the Bay of Biscay]]. The boat was lightly damaged during the [[action of 26 April 1944]] off the coast of [[Brittany]] and [[Ship grounding|ran aground]] during the subsequent [[Action of 29 April 1944|battle]] two days later. Her wreck was destroyed shortly afterwards by the British.

==Design and description==
The Type 39 torpedo boat was conceived as a general-purpose design, much larger than preceding German torpedo boats.<ref>Whitley 1991, p. 52</ref> The boats had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|102.5|m|ftin|sp=us}} and were {{convert|97|m|ftin|sp=us}} [[Length at the waterline|long at the waterline]]. They had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|10|m|ftin|sp=us}}, a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|3.22|m|ftin|sp=us}} at [[deep load]] and displaced {{convert|1294|MT|LT|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard load]] and {{convert|1754|MT|LT}} at deep load.<ref name=g3>Gröner, p. 195</ref> Their crew numbered 206 officers and sailors.<ref>Sieche, p. 239</ref> The Type 39s were fitted with a pair of geared [[steam turbine]] sets, each driving one propeller, using steam from four high-pressure [[water-tube boiler]]s. The turbines were designed to produce {{convert|32000|shp|lk=on}} which was intended give the ships a maximum speed of {{convert|33.5|kn|lk=on}}. They carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give them a range of {{convert|2400|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}.<ref name=w2>Whitley 1991, pp. 54, 203</ref>

As built, the Type 39 ships mounted four [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{cvt|10.5|cm|in}} SK C/32]] guns in single mounts protected by [[gun shield]]s; one forward of the [[superstructure]], one between the [[funnel (ship)|funnel]]s, and two aft, one [[superfiring]] over the other. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by four [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{cvt|3.7|cm|in}} SK C/30]] [[AA gun]]s in two twin-gun mounts on platforms abaft the rear funnel, six [[2 cm FlaK 30/38/Flakvierling|{{cvt|2|cm|1}} C/38]] guns in one quadruple mount on the aft superstructure and a pair of single mounts on the [[bridge wing]]s. They carried six above-water {{cvt|533|mm|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s in two triple mounts [[amidships]] and could also carry 30 [[naval mine|mines]]; the full complement of 60 mines made the ships top-heavy which could be dangerous in bad weather. For [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine work]] the boats were fitted with a ''S-Gerät'' [[sonar]] and four [[depth charge]] launchers. The Type 39s were equipped with a FuMO 21{{refn|{{lang|de|Funkmess-Ortung}} (Radio-direction finder, active ranging)|group=Note}} [[radar]]. In January–February 1944 the single 2&nbsp;cm mounts in the bridge wings were replaced by quadruple mounts and FuMB7{{refn|{{lang|de|Funkmess-Beobachtung}} (Passive radar detector).|group=Note}} "Naxos" and FuMB8 "Wanz G" [[radar detector]]s were installed.<ref>Friedman, p. 205; Whitley 1991, pp. 52–55; Whitley 2000, p. 73</ref>

==Construction and career==
Originally ordered as a [[Type 37 torpedo boat]] on 30 March 1939, ''T27'' was reordered on 10 November 1939 from [[Schichau-Werke|Schichau]]. The boat was [[laid down]] on 2 July 1941 at their [[Elbing]], [[East Prussia]], [[shipyard]] as [[yard number]] 1486, [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 20 June 1942 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 17 April 1943. After [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#W|working up]], ''T27'' and her sister {{ship|German torpedo boat|T26||2}} departed for Western France on 30 August 1943. The sisters, together with the torpedo boats {{ship|German torpedo boat|Kondor||2}}, {{ship|German torpedo boat|Greif||2}} and {{ship|German torpedo boat|T19||2}}, laid a minefield in the Channel on 29–30 September.<ref>Hervieux, p. 97; Rohwer, pp. 279; Whitley 1991, pp. 146, 212</ref>

===Battle of Sept-Îles===
{{Main|Battle of Sept-Îles}}
On 22 October, the [[4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla (Germany)|4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla]], now consisting of ''T27'', ''T26'', and their sisters {{ship|German torpedo boat|T22||2}}, {{ship|German torpedo boat|T23||2}} and {{ship|German torpedo boat|T25||2}}, sortied from [[Brest, France|Brest]] to provide cover for the unladen blockade runner ''Münsterland'' and her close escort from the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla as they sailed up the Channel. The British were aware of ''Münsterland'' and attempted to intercept her on the night of the 23rd with a scratch force that consisted of the light cruiser {{HMS|Charybdis|88|2}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Grenville|R97|2}}, {{HMS|Rocket|H92|2}}, {{HMS|Limbourne|L57|2}}, {{HMS|Wensleydale|L86|2}}, {{HMS|Talybont|L18|2}} and {{HMS|Stevenstone|L16|2}}. ''T22''{{'}}s [[hydrophone]]s detected the British ships off the [[Jentilez|Sept-Îles]] at 00:25 and {{lang|de|[[Korvettenkapitän]]}} (Lieutenant commander) Franz Kohlauf maneuvered his flotilla to intercept them before they could reach ''Münsterland''. ''Limbourne'' overheard the radio transmissions about 01:20 as the German ships turned, and alerted the other British ships. At 01:36 ''Charybdis''{{'}}s radar detected the German torpedo boats at a range of {{convert|8100|yd}} and she fired [[star shell]]s in an unsuccessful attempt to spot them visually. About this time, ''T23'' spotted ''Charybdis'' silhouetted against the lighter horizon and Kohlauf ordered every boat to fire all of their torpedoes. Two of these struck the cruiser, which sank shortly afterwards, and another blew the [[bow (ship)|bow]] off ''Limbourne'', which had to be [[scuttled]] later. The loss of the flagship threw the British into confusion as they had not worked together before the attack, and the torpedo boats successfully disengaged before the senior surviving British [[captain (nautical)|captain]] realized that he was in command.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 282; Whitley, pp. 147–148</ref>

===Battle of the Bay of Biscay===
[[File:German freighter burning in Bay of Biscay Dec 1943.jpg|thumb|''Alsterufer'' burning after a RAF attack]]
{{main|Battle of the Bay of Biscay}}
On 24–26 December ''T27'' was one of the escorts for the {{GRT|6951|link=on}} blockade runner {{MV|Osorno}} through the Bay of Biscay. Another blockade runner, the {{GRT|2729|link=off}} [[Reefer ship|refrigerated cargo ship]] {{MV|Alsterufer}}, trailed ''Osorno'' by several days and four destroyers of the [[8th Destroyer Flotilla (Germany)|8th Destroyer Flotilla]] and the six torpedo boats of the 4th Flotilla set sail on 27 December to escort her through the Bay. The Allies were aware of these blockade runners through their [[Ultra (cryptography)|Ultra]] [[signal intelligence|code-breaking]] efforts and positioned [[cruiser]]s and aircraft in the Western Atlantic to intercept them in [[Operation Stonewall]]. A [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator#British Commonwealth nomenclature and sub-variants|Consolidated B-24 Liberator]] [[heavy bomber]] from [[No. 311 Squadron RAF]] sank ''Alsterufer'' later that afternoon.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 294–295; Whitley, p. 149</ref>

The German ships were unaware of the sinking until the following afternoon and continued onward to the rendezvous point. They had been spotted by an American Liberator bomber on the morning of the 28th and the British light cruisers {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|2}} and {{HMS|Enterprise|D52|2}}, which were assigned to Stonewall, maneuvered to intercept them. By this time, the weather had gotten significantly worse and the German ships were steaming for home, hampered by the rough seas that threw [[sea spray]] over their forward guns that made their operation difficult. It also severely reduced visibility and hampered the [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]]s and sights for the guns and torpedoes. Using her radar, ''Glasgow'' was the first to open fire at 13:46 at a range of {{convert|19600|m|yd|sp=us}} with ''Enterprise'' following a few minutes later. About that time, the destroyers began firing back with guns and torpedoes; the latter all missed and one hit was made on ''Glasgow'' at 14:05. {{lang|de|[[Kapitän zur See]]}} (Captain) [[Hans Erdmenger]], commander of the 8th Flotilla, decided to split his forces and ordered the destroyers {{ship|German destroyer|Z23||2}} and {{ship|German destroyer|Z27||2}}, together with ''T22'', ''T25'' and ''T26'', to reverse course to the north at 14:18. All of the ships in the southern group, including ''T27'', were able to successfully disengage.<ref>Hervieux, p. 98; Rohwer, p. 295; Whitley 1991, pp. 149–153</ref>

===Subsequent activities===
{{main|Action of 26 April 1944}}
On the night of 21/22 April 1944, the 4th Flotilla, now consisting of ''T27'' and her sisters {{ship|German torpedo boat|T24||2}} and {{ship|German torpedo boat|T29||2}}, transferred from [[Cherbourg]] to Saint-Malo. After laying a minefield off the Sept-Îles on the north coast of [[Brittany]] on the night of 25/26 April, the flotilla was engaged by an Allied force that consisted of the light cruiser {{HMS|Black Prince|81|6}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Ashanti|F51|6}}, {{HMCS|Athabaskan|G07|6}}, {{HMCS|Haida|G63|6}} and {{HMCS|Huron|G24|6}} off the [[Île de Batz]]. The Allied ships were engaged by German [[coastal artillery]] without effect and the flotilla headed west in search of the Allied ships, but the Germans were spotted first by ''Black Prince''{{'}}s radar at a range of {{convert|21000|yd}} at 02:07. They detected the Allied ships shortly afterwards and reversed course. The Allied ships were faster than the torpedo boats and had closed the range to {{convert|13000|yd}} by 02:20 when ''Black Prince'' began firing star shells. The destroyers began firing at ''T27'' and ''T24'' at a range of {{convert|9000|yd}} as ''Black Prince'' hung back in support until one of her forward turrets jammed. The Allied fire was accurate and one shell struck ''T27'' at 02:31 and reduced her speed to {{convert|12|kn}}; Kohlauf ordered her into [[Morlaix]] Bay and the Allies lost her radar reflection amongst the rocks of the bay.<ref>Hervieux, p. 99; Rohwer, pp. 317–318; Whitley, pp. 156–157</ref>

After emergency repairs, ''T27'' joined ''T24'' in Saint-Malo during the night of 26/27 April. The sister departed Saint-Malo bound for Brest on the night of 28/29 April and were spotted by British coastal radar. They intercepted by ''Haida'' and ''Athabaskan'' off [[Île Vierge]]. ''Haida'' opened the engagement by firing star shell at 04:12; the Germans laid a [[smoke screen]] in response and turned away.  The sisters fired all of their torpedoes as they turned, ''T24'' firing three off the wrong side of the boat, but one of the others hit ''Athabaskan''. Shortly afterwards, she blew up, probably from a [[magazine (artillery)|magazine]] explosion, and sank at 04:42. ''Haida'' pursued ''T27'' and hit her at least seven times, setting her on fire and destroying both quadruple 2&nbsp;cm mounts on the bridge wings. While trying to reach [[Aber Wrac'h]], she accidentally ran aground at {{Coord|48|39|N|04|21|W|display=inline,title}}; ''Haida'' continued to engage the torpedo boat and ignited the 2&nbsp;cm ready-use ammunition on the bridge wings before returning to rescue ''Athabaskan''{{'}}s survivors. Lacking power, ''T27''{{'}}s crew was unable to put the fire out and abandoned ship at 04:35, having lost 11 men killed. ''T24'' and a pair of [[minesweeper]]s later failed in their attempt to pull her off, but they rescued 83 crewmen before they abandoned the wreck. British [[motor torpedo boat]]s and aircraft destroyed the wreck in early May.<ref>Gröner, p. 195; Hervieux, p. 100; Rohwer, p. 318; Whitley 1991, p. 157</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==Citations==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=Naval Radar|year=1981|publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London|isbn=0-85177-238-2|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
*{{Cite book |last=Gröner|first=Erich|title=German Warships 1815&ndash;1945|year=1990 |location=Annapolis, Maryland|volume=1: Major Surface Warships|publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-790-9|author-link=Erich Gröner}}
* {{cite book|editor=Lambert, Andrew|title=Warship X|year=1986|publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London|isbn=0-85177-449-0|chapter=The Elbing Class Torpedo Boats at War |last=Hervieux |first=Pierre|pages=95–102}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005 |edition=Third Revised |isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
*{{cite book|author1-last=Sieche|author1-first=Erwin|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year=1980|publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-146-7|name-list-style=amp|chapter=Germany}}
*{{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000| publisher=Cassell & Co.|location=London|isbn=1-85409-521-8|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
*{{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=German Destroyers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press |date=1991|isbn=1-55750-302-8 |location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Whitby |first1=Michael |editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |title=Warship 2022 |date=2022 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford|pages=29–46 |isbn=978-1-4728-4781-2 |chapter=The Challenges of Operation 'Tunnel', September 1943 — April 1944}}

==External links==
* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/torpedoboats/flottentorpedoboot1939/t27/index.html ''T27'' at german navy.de]

{{Type 39 torpedo boat}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:T27}}
[[Category:Type 39 torpedo boats]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Schichau]]
[[Category:Ships built in Elbing]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1944]]