Raubtier Class Torpedoboot
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Between 1924 and 1929 the democratic Weimarer Republik built two very similar classes of Torpedoboote. The Type 1923 ~ Raubvogel class and the type 1924 ~ Raubtier class.
The first all named to birds: Möwe / Seeadler / Greif / Albatros / Kondor / Falke, the other to carnivores: Wolf / Iltis / Luchs / Tiger / Jaguar / Leopard
Design was influenced by WW I vessels. The later class was slightly larger and faster, 35 to 33 knots. At 17 knots they had a long range of 3900 sea miles. Much better than the T 1 / 1935 large S-Boot design Torpedoboote. With 3 x 10,5 cm main guns and 2x 2 cm AA they had more firepower than the later. 6 torpedo tubes gave them a hard hitting power.
In WW II more AA guns got added, the bigger vessels had not the weight problems that plagued the 1935 type, So no need to reduce the torpedo tubes like in the 35 class for more AA..
Tiger was lost before war in August 39 in collision with Z 3. All the other animals got lost in war. They played a big role in Channel and Biscaya.
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I based my model on Jaguar 1944. In 39 the five Raubtiere formed the 6. Flottille. They laid mines in North Sea and checked merchant traffic to neutral countries. In December Jaguar and Seeadler took 6 prizes. In 1940 Jaguar took part in more mining missions or was part of escort for larger warships or minelayers. In time of Weserübung Norway operation in was in dock for service. 14. April 40 it escorted, together with F 5 the gunnery training ship Brummer on way to Norway. That was sunk by HMS Sterlet.
In June it was with escort in Operation Juno. In September it was sent West. In early March 41 it was part of the escort for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Following many losses 5<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> Flottille became a new 5<sup>th</sup>. 23<sup>rd</sup> of March it went from Cherbourg via Channel to Norway. There it lost her rudder and was tugged to Stavanger for repairs. In April it was back in Germany and did an escort job to Rotteredam, there it was again repaired. Back to Norway and than until December school ship.
Early 1942 the available Torpedobbote got assembled in the West for Cerberus, the breakthrough of Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. Jaguar was slightly damaged in an air attack. Again for repairs to Rotterdam and then West again. In St. Nazaire raid fights Jaguar took MGB 14 but had to sink it due to RN vessels approaching. Following the loss of Iltis to MTB in may Jaguar was the last survivor of the ix Raubtiere.
June 42 it was replaced in 5. Flottile by T 23 and served at Kiel as gunnery School ship. 18. November 42 it was rammed by fishing vessel Steegen, the wireless room was destroyed. Following repairs it went again to Norway and went with Scharnhorst to Bogen Bay. Then it escorted the cruiser Nürnberg home. In North sea it took part in more mine laying only to return to the Channel for escort missions, based in Cherbourg. In some it had fights with RN small crafts. May 44 it was sent to Le Havre. The Greif running behind her was sunk in air attack.
Following D-Day Jaguar was daily in action with the rest of 5<sup>th</sup> Flottille against the Allied forces in Channel, sinking the Norwegian destroyer Svenner. 14<sup>th</sup> June Le Havre was attacked by 325 Lancaster bombers. Jaguar was hit several times and sank, 16 sailors kia. Falke and Möwe sank too together with many other Kriegsmarine vessels.
Jaguar was the only one with a 2 cm in front of bridge. Many books claim two twin 3,7 cm AA guns but these never replaced the 2cm between the stacks as intended. Aft ranging Langbasis was replaced with a 2cm and between aft torpedo set and 10,5 cm gun a AA platform was added. At first with a 2 cm, later with a Vierling or a 3,7 cm. The camo of the model was common on Raubvogel boats and Jaguar. It was first used in 1943 on Zerstörer, so it is often claimed to be a type camo to give the impression of a larger Zerstörer.
With 3 Torpedoboote my gaming fleet is a bit strong. But I enjoy building these models.
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