Die Schnellboot-Seite
S-Boats in the Kriegsmarine 1935 - 1945
KS -Boats
Out of the amount of offensive coastal-minelayers „KM 1“ through „KM 32“ Lürssen developed by and built in double-diagonal-kraweel boats the effectivity of which was doubted by the Kriegsmarine most were reconstructed during the war to "KS-boats". The other boats were subject to the 31. MS-Fltl as KM-boats.Of the 36 KM-Boats were retrofitted:
| Boat | Retrofitted to | Area of Operations | Whereabouts |
| KM 1 - 2 | KS 1 - 2 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 5 | KS 5 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 7 | KS 7 | Finland | + 1943, explosion |
| KM 9 | KS 9 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 10 | KS 10 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 11 | KS 11 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | USSR-loot |
| KM 12 - 16 | KS 12 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 17 - 18 | KS 17 - 18 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | USSR-loot |
| KM 19 | KS 19 | Peipussea, 1945 Swinemünde | USSR-loot |
| KM 20 | KS 20 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | + 1944, fire |
| KM 21 | KS 21 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | USSR-loot |
| KM 22 | KS 22 | Peipussea, 1945 Swinemünde | USSR-loot |
| KM 23 - 24 | KS 23 - 24 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | USSR-loot |
| KM 25 - 26 | KS 25 | Peipussea | USSR-loot |
| KM 31 - 32 | KS 31 - 32 | 22. SFltl, Kroatik Navy | USSR-loot |
The "KS"-Boats of the 22. Schnellbootflottille, which were stationed in the Adria, were handed over to the Croatik Navy in fall 1944 were taken back by the Kriegsmarine upon the trial to desert to the partisans. They finally became war-loot of the Soviet Union (USSR). Their whereabouts are unknown.
"KS" stands for Kleinschellboot (smal S-boat). During their reconstruction the minelying-gear was removed and two 45-cm-torpedotubes were installed instead.
The other KS-boats were transported to the Peipussea/Estonia, where most of them became war-loot of the USSR in 1945.
KS-Boat
– Outline by Gröner
Teknical
Data
| Shipyard | various | |||
| Length | 15,95 m | |||
| Beam | 3,50 m | |||
| Draught | 1,10 m | |||
| Displacement | 19 t | |||
| Propulsion |
|
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| Speed | 32 kts | |||
| Armament |
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KM-Boat at Fuld Speed - Picture: Archives Gröner
KM-boat of the 31. MS-Fltl on Lake Ladoga Summer 1943 - Picture: Archives J. Steil
"R 29" and "KM 3" on Lake Ladoga Summer 1943 - Picture: Archives J. Steil
Boat Retrofitted to KS-Boat - Picture: Archives Gröner
Specials
KM
1 – 4, 22, 27 – 36 were constructed by Nordbjerg & Wedell
at Copenhagen, KM 5 – 7 by Rolandwerft at Hemelingen, KM 8 – 15 by Claus
Engelbrecht at Berlin –Köpenick, KM 16 – 19 by Kriegermann at
Berlin-Pichelsdorf, KM 20 – 21 by Niederlehme.
On 05.09.1944 boat "KS 20" (ObStrm.d.Res. Reinhard Plate) burst in fire 2 miles south of Piave Vecchia lighthouse on the march from Lignane to Venice in order to take over torpedoes propably by a shortage in the fuelreplenishment-measurement system of the middle-tank. Since the danger exísted that the amunition in the same compartment could explode the CO ordered to quit firefighting and to abandon the boat. Just after evaquation of the boat the amuniton exploded. The complement of "KS 20" was taken on board of the other boats unharmed.
Boats „KM 35“ and „KM 36“ were
under construction for the 31. MS-Fltl but not completed.
All boats other
than "KM 7“ (02.12.1943 lost by explosion), „KS 20“ (05.09.1944
lost by fire) and "KS 32" (deserted to the partisans in december 1944) became
war-loot of the USSR.
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