R boat
 R boats operating near the coast of occupied France
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Räumboot |
| Builders | Abeking & Rasmussen |
| Operators |  Kriegsmarine |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Minesweeper |
| Displacement | 160 t (max) |
| Length | 41.1 m (134 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in) |
| Draught | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion | 2x MAN diesel engines; 1,836 hp |
| Speed | 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range | 1,100 NM (2,000 km) |
| Complement | up to 38 |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 1x 37 mm C/30 cannon 2 x 20mm cannon 7.92 mm machine guns, mines and depth charges |
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (July 2010) |
The R boats (Räumboote in German) were a group of small naval vessels, built as minesweepers but used for several purposes during the Second World War. A total of 424 boats were built for the Kriegsmarine before and during World War II. The German Navy used them in every theatre including the Baltic, Mediterranean and the Black Sea. These boats were used for convoy escort, coastal patrol, minesweeping, minelaying and air-sea rescue.
About 140 R boats survived the war and these were distributed amongst the Allies. Some were used by the German Mine Sweeping Administration to clear western Europe of naval mines. Twenty-four boats were transferred back to the post-war German Navy, the Bundesmarine, in 1956 and were used until the late 1960s. An unusual feature of these ships is the use of Voith Schneider Propellers on approximately one quarter of the boats for extra maneuverability.
R Boat classes
| Class | Boats in class | Displacement | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R1-R16 | 60 tons[clarification needed] | 26 m | built 1929-34 |
| R17 | R17-24 | 115 tons | 37 m | Built 1934-38 |
| R25 | R25-R40 | 110 tons | 35.4 m | Built 1938-39 |
| R41 | R41-129 | 125 tons | 37.8 m | Built 1939-43 |
| R130 | R130-150 | 150 tons | 41.1 m | built 1943-45 |
| R151 | R151-217 | 125 tons | 35.4 m | built 1940-43 |
| R218 | R218-300 | 140 tons | 39.2 m | built 1943-45, R291-300 unfinished at the end of the war |
| R301 | R301-312 | 160 tons | 41 m | built 1942-45, two 533 mm torpedo tubes added |
| R401 | R401-448 | 140 tons | 39.2 m | launched 1943-45 mostly not completed at end of the war |
See also
- Schnellboot, known to the Allies as E-Boats
- Motor launch for the British equivalents
- M-class minesweeper (Germany) for larger German minesweepers
Notes
References
- Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946
- Hervieux, Pierre German Motor Minesweepers at War 1939-1945 in Warship 2002-2003, Conway's Maritime Press
- R Boat at German Navy.de