Überwasserfahrzeuge
- Details
- Published: 08 December 2012 08 December 2012
- Last Updated: 08 December 2012 08 December 2012
by Gareth Collins
Linsen: One-man explosive-boat. Always employed in a team of 3, 2 explosive-boats and one command boat. The explosive boats each had 1 pilot, the command boat (without any explosives) had a pilot and and a team leader. They were 5.75 metres in length and 1.75 metres in width with a 3.6 litre Ford V8 petrol engine producing 95hp. They had a maximum speed of 32 nautical miles per hour with a range of 12 nautical miles. In operation the command boat led with the 2 explosive boats closely following staggering from port to starboard. The explosive boats are then piloted within decent range of the target with the pilot jumping off safely and the boat remotly controlled the remainder of the way from the command boat by a Goliath device. As it hits the target the front hull ruptures, the engine sinks with the aft section and the 300kg explosive. The explosive is detonated 2.5 to 7 seconds after depending on the setting. The Command boat picked up the pilot of the explosive boat.
Wal III: Four-man speedboat with a 600hp aircraft engine. It had a maximum speed of 40 nautical miles per hour. It was armed with 2 torpedoes, 2 rocket launchers and 1 machine gun. It was in mass production by the end of the war.
Schlitten: Two-man hydrofoil (coil system) with a 600hp aircraft engine (previously it had a 145hp engine). It had a maximum speed of 40 nautical miles per hour. It was armed with 2 torpedoes, 2 rocket launchers and 2 machine guns. It was in mass production by the end of the war.
Tragflächenkleinstschnellboote: Types Sachsenberg, Tietgen and Zisch equipped with aircraft engines. It was armed with 2 torpedoes or explosives.
Seedrache: (System Driesen) Two midget speedboats of Type 'Hydra' with aircraft wings coupled together. It was fitted with Turbine-Jäger-Engines in the wings. It was armed with 4 torpedoes.
Tornado: One-man explosive boat with a V-1 engine. Its hull was made from 2 floats off a Ju-52 and the engine was a V-1 Schmidtrohr. It was capable of 45 nautical miles per hour and could possible do even more. It was armed with a 700kg explosive charge. It was a fair weather boat only but nothing is known about its use.