Type 23 torpedo boat

Class overview
Operators	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
In commission	1926 - 1944
Completed	6
Lost	6
General characteristics
Type	Torpedo boat
Displacement	923 tons (standard) 1,290 tons (full load)
Length	87.7 m
Beam	8.25 m
Draught	3.65 m
Propulsion	2 shaft geared steam turbines (all Blohm & Voss, except Albatros - Schichau), 3 boilers, 24,000 shp
Speed	33.6 kn (62.2 km/h)
Range	1,700 nmi (3,100 km) at 17 knots (31 km/h)
Complement	120 - 129
Armament	3 × 105 mm L/45 (3x1) 2 × 20 mm Flak L/65 (1×1) (4 or 7 from 1940) 6 × 500 (533 from 1931) mm torpedo tubes (2×3) 30 mines

The German Type 23 torpedo boat was a class of torpedo boat built for the German Navy following World War I. They were built to replace vessels lost during, or surrendered at the end of, that conflict and were based on the H147 torpedo boat design from then. Six vessels were built in total, and with modifications all six served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The ships were named for birds of prey and were referred to as the Raubvogel class.

General characteristics

The six Raubvogel (German:"Bird of prey") class torpedo boats were developed from earlier designs shortly after World War I and came into service in 1926 and 1927.

All six vessels were built at Reichsmarinewerft ("Navy Yard"), Wilhelmshaven. They were the first to use electrical welding for hull construction to reduce displacement and they also introduced geared turbines. During the Second World War these ships were referred to as the Möwe class by the Royal Navy.

Despite the innovations, and unlike contemporary German destroyers, the Raubvogels were successful sea-boats, although limited to coastal waters, and most remained in service until 1944, by which time all had been lost. Well before this time, however, the deficiencies of their concentration on torpedoes became apparent: their anti-aircraft weaponry was wholly deficient, and had to be upgraded, and their guns were also minimal.

During the St. Nazaire Raid ("Operation Chariot"), the destroyer HMS Campbeltown was altered by the Royal Navy to look like a Raubvogel class torpedo boat.

Ships

Name	Launched	Completed	Fate
Möwe (Seagull)	1926	1926	Sunk by bombing in Le Havre 14 June 1944
Falke (Falcon)	1926	1926	Sunk by bombing in Le Havre 14 June 1944
Greif (Griffon)	1926	1927	Torpedoed by aircraft 24 May 1944
Kondor (Condor)	1926	1927	Mined 23 May 1944, decommissioned 1 August 1944
Albatros	1926	1928	Wrecked by accidental grounding on 10 April 1940 during the invasion of Norway
Seeadler (Sea Eagle)	1926	1927	Sunk by British MTBs during the Action of 13 May 1942 while escorting the auxiliary cruiser Stier

References

• Gardiner, Robert (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.