Die Schnellboot-Seite
Farewell 7. S-Squadron November 18th 2024 - August 14th 2025
During week November 18th to 22nd 2024 the last seven boats of the 7. S-Boat-Squadron which were laying at Marinearsenal since som years were prepaired for their last trip to Turkey.
Boats ot the former 7. S-Boat-Squadron at MArs Kiel 2017 - Picture: T. Kunzmann
The boats were prepaired for loading on a heavy-cargo-ship by cutting down masts and radoms.
Thre unrigged Boats - Picture: T. Kunzmann
Three more unrigged Boats - Picture : T. Kunzmann
ex-"S78 Ozelot" ready for Transport - Picture: T. Kunzmann
The boats were now waiting for the loading onto a heavy-cargo-ship planned for the week commencing November 25th 2024.
The 154,68 m long and 26,5 m beaming heavy-cargo-ship "Happy Sky"(IMO-Number 9457220) of the Netherlands shipowners BigLift entered Marinearsenal Kiel on November 25th 2024 around 09.00 am and had secured at 09.20 am. As was communicated she were to load the boats during the 48th week in order to transport them to the breaking-up company in Turkey. However, the breaking-up and the transporting companies had stil to agree upon some modalities.
Heavy-Cargo-Ship "Happy Sky" en Route to MArs Kiel - Picture: T. Kunzmann
At MArs everything inStandby - Picture: T. Kunzmann
Since because of the musling-cover which grew for six years a safe loading of the boats with lifting-belts was not regarded as feasible the Netherlands shipowners BigLift refused to load the boats and redirected the "Happy Sky" to a waiting-position close to the Skaw. "Happy Sky" left Kiel November 29th 2024 at 20:40 and was positioned at Aalbæk Bugt south of the Skaw on November 30th at 13.00.
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Route of "Happy Sky" November 29th/30th 2024
Here are six of seven boats in the MArs Kiel awaiting their Re-Use - Picture: Andreas Engel
Om May 5th the seven boats were cleared out at the customs office Kiel thus taking the first step for the export. The date of picking them up was not defined at this stage.
During the week commensingJuly 14th 2025 the boats were cleared from muslings and algae so that loading on "Happy Sky" during 31st weekwas made possible.
During the week from July 21st 2025 the masts and radoms were taken from the boats and stored ashore.
"Happy Sky" entered MARs Kiel again on July 28th to take on board the boats starting July 29th 2025 and to transport them to Turkey.
"Happy Sky" has moored at im MArs Kiel again - Picture: Tino Kunzmann
The plan was to take on board two boats per day; because of the strong winds only "S78 Ozelot" was loaded in the late afternoon of the 30th. The boat was put into the load space of the heavy-load-ship.
"S78 Ozelot" in the loading-straps July 30th 2025 around 17 lct. - Picture: Frank Behling
On July 31st "S78 Ozelot" was situated with losts of efforts in the loas spyce that the next boat could be taken on board. S72 "Puma" was taken on board Aufgust 1st around 17.00 lct. amd stowed away in the load space.
"S72 Puma" in the Loading Straps August 1st around 17.00 lct. - Picture: Frank Behling
Tugboat "Holtenau" turns "S80 Hyäne" outside the MArs August 4th - Picture: Andreas Engel
S80 "Hyände was sat on deck at port side and secured.
"S80 Hyäne" secured on Deck with Bow forward - Picture: - Foto: Andreas Engel
On the evening of August 5th 2025 S75 "Zobel" was tugged to "Happy Sky". The boat was put on deck so that between the two boats space was left for S79 "Wiesel".
Also in the evening S79 "Wiesel" was laid alongside "Happy Sky" so that the loading could be performed in the morning of August 7th. Trying to lift S79 "Wiesel" over S75 "Zobel" in order to put the boat in the middle of the deck it was discovered that propellers and rudder of S79 "Wiesel" were in the way. All trying to put the boat on its place were in vain and short after 20.00 lct. the boat was back in the water alongside "Happy Sky" again.
On August 8th S79 "Wiesel" was lifted out of the water so much that the sstb-outside propeller anf the stb rudder could be removed. In parallel all disrupting parts behind the open bridge of S75 "Zobel" surmounting the B-Deck were demounted and in the afternoon of the 8th it succeeded in a second try to put S79 "Wiesel" over S75 "Zobel" on deck.
S79 "Wiesel" is lifted over S75 "Zobel" on Deck - Picture: Tim Schwabedissen
On August 9th short after 15.00 lct. S 73 "Hermelin" was laid alongside "Happy Sky". Siknce the divers were not available before August 11th the boat was taken on board and secured in the afternoon of August 11thg.
Already at the quai of the MArs similar to S75 "Zobel" all parts above B-deck level were demounted in order not to let difficulties as with S79 "Wiesel" arise during loading S76 "Frettchen".
"S76 "Frettchen" was tugged to "Happy Sky" August 12th about 07.00 lct. Since no divers were available the loading of the boat started not before 14.00 lct. Around 18.00 lct. she finally was secure on deck.
Am 14.08.2025 gegen 15.00 Uhr legte die "Happy Sky" departed MArs Kiel August 14th 2025 around 15.00 lct.
Storage Plan of the Boats on "Happy Sky" - Drawing: Hergen Hennings
"Happy Sky" passes Möltenort - Foto: Tino Kunzmann
"Happy Sky" passiert Leuchtturm Friedrichsort - Picture: Tino Kunzmann
"Happy Sky" passes MEM Laboe - Picture: Reeno Prösch
On August 14th 2025 the last seven pboats of the 7. S-Boat-Squadron on board of the Netherlands heavy-load-ship "Happy Sky" are passing MEM Laboe without "Front to Starboard" en route to Turkey.
Adieu 7. S-Geschwader!
The
unloading of the boats at Aliaga commenced July 28th 2025 with S76 "Frettchen"
and ended September 1st with S78 "Ozelot".
Demolition Yard at Aliaga - Picture: Archives Hergen Hennings
Here a Link to an interesting homepage:
Citation from Kieler Nachrichten of July 30th 2025 (Redakteur Frank Behling):
"40 Schnellboote hatte die Bundesmarine bis 1990 in Kiel, Olpenitz und Flensburg stationiert (Anm. des WEB-Masters: Mit 160 FK MM38 EXOCET). Ihr Auftrag war im Kriegsfall der schnelle Vorstoß nach Osten, um Kriegsschiffe des Warschauer Pakts mit Flugkörpern anzugreifen und sie an einem Durchbruch durch die Ostseezugänge und Landeoperationen auf NATO-Gebiet zu hindern."
("The Bundesmarine until 1990 owned 40 S-boats stationed at Kiel, Olpenitz and Flensburg (Remark of the WEB-Master: With 160 missiles MM38 EXOCET). Their task in case of war was to to advance to the east in order to attack warships of the Warshaw Pact with missiles and to hinder them in Penetration of the Baltic Approaches and in landing operations at NATO-area.")
Citation from the address of Vizadmiral Rainer Brinkmann, the Befehlshaber der Flotte (Commander of the Fleet) at that time during the Ceremonial Disbanding of the 7. S-Boat-Squadron November 16th 2016 at Navyl Base Hohe-Düne at Rostock-Warnemünde:
"Schnellboote , sie waren zusammen mit den Ubooten, den Marinefliegern und den Minenabwehrkräften zu Zeiten des Kalten Krieges ein unverzichtbares und passgenaues Puzzleteil einer in der Tiefe gestaffelten Verteidigung in der Ostsee."
("S-boats, they were together with the U-boats, the Navy Aviators, and the Minedefence Forces at the times of the Cold War an indispensable and tight-fitting puzzle-part of a layered defence in depth of the Baltic.")
After the German reunification 1990 all four S-Boat-Squadrons with their S-boats of classes S 148, S 143 and S 143A were disbanded. As replacemenit five corvettes of class K 130 were commissioned. Five more corvettes of the class are under construction. The U-Boaqt-Force at the time with 24 units today consists of six boats class 212 A. The minewarfare Forces are shrunk from 57 units to two boats of class M 343 and ten boats class 332. The two navy air wings 1 an 2 were disbanded and the 40 Tornados handed over to the Airforce.
Quo
vadis Deutsche Marine?