KMS Leberecht Maass (Z1) headed the Leberecht Maass-class (or Type 34) of destroyers for the German Navy in the lead-up to World War 2 (1939-1945). The group became the first such warships to be constructed by / for Germany since the close of World War 1 in November of 1918. The class eventually numbered twenty-two built across three major batches: "Type 34", "Type 34A" and "Type 36". The series was of great value during the early-going for the Germans, particularly for their mining capability and torpedo armament.
Leberecht Maass was ordered on July 7th, 1934 and constructed at the Deutsche Werke yard in Kiel beginning October 15th of that year. Launched on August 18th, 1935, the vessel was commissioned into service on January 14th, 1937. Shortly after she was built, Maass was given additional armoring and her bow section was slightly lengthened.
As a Type 34 destroyer, the warship displaced 2,360 tons under standard load and 3,210 tons under full load. From bow to stern the vessel measured 390.4 feet with a beam of 37 feet and a draught of 37 feet. These ships had deep water capability but their relatively shallow draughts allowed for close-to-shore, coastline function. Power was from 6 x Water-tube boilers feeding 2 x Geared steam turbines developing 70,000 horsepower and driving 2 x Shafts under stern. Maximum speed in ideal conditions was 36 knots, making them quite fast, and range was out to 1,530, which quite restricted long patrolling endeavors.
Armament centered on 5 x 5" turreted primary guns in single-gunned mountings with two over the forecastle and the remaining three set towards the stern. These guns were new to the German Navy and not of Dual-Purpose (DP) nature as the proven 4.1" models may have been - but they put the warships on par with French offerings. 2 x 37mm guns in twin-gunned mountings and 6 x 20mm guns in single-gunned mountings provided Anti-Aircraft (AA) defense. The warship was outfitted with a pair of 21" quadruple torpedo launchers and could carry up to sixty naval mines and up to sixty-four depth charges (the latter launched through four throwers or six racks).
The arrival of the class marked a resurgence in German naval capabilities during the interwar period. However, the lull in design and construction of such ships meant that ship engineers lacked familiarity with practical modern methods and so the class was one of mixed technologies and practices, some of them largely untested in naval warfare. One of the issues with the design of this slim, long warship was its propensity to take on water at the bow, making for poor sea-keeping in rough sea states.
The first four of the group were completed to the Type 34 standard and the next sixteen were completed to the Type 34A standard with slight differences between. The related Type 36 ships were nearly 20 feet longer than the original models and this served to help resolve the poor sea-keeping trait of the earlier vessels - however this also reduced endurance some.
Leberecht Maass was one of the ships called by the Navy to shell Polish targets at Gdynia during the opening rounds of World War 2 (September 1939). Maass took a hit to her superstructure from coastal artillery during this entanglement and was forced to sail away for repairs the following day. She was not readied until September 10th and, from there, she was used to mine the North Sea in the hopes of containing the British Fleet. Before the end of the month, the warship was recalled for a refit.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
KMS Leberecht Maas (Z1); KMS Georg Thiele (Z2); KMS Max Schulz (Z3); KMS Richard Beitzen (Z4); KMS Paul Jacobi (Z5); KMS Theodor Riedel (Z6); KMS Hermann Schoemann (Z7); KMS Bruno Heinemann (Z8); KMS Wolfgang Zenker (Z9); KMS Hans Lody (Z10); KMS Bernd von Anim (Z11); KMS Erich Giese (Z12); KMS Erich Koellner (Z13); KMS Friedirch Ihn (Z14); KMS Erich Steinbrinck (Z15); KMS Friedish Eckoldt (Z16) Ships-in-Class
Offshore Bombardment
Offshore bombardment / attack of surface targets / areas primarily through onboard ballistic weaponry.
Offshore Operation
Activities conducted near shorelines in support of allied activities.
Land-Attack
Offshore strike of surface targets primarily through onboard missile / rocket weaponry.
Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.
Airspace Denial / Deterrence
Neutralization or deterrence of airborne elements through onboard ballistic of missile weaponry.
Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.
390.4 feet (118.99 meters) Length
37.0 feet (11.28 meters) Beam
13.1 feet (3.99 meters) Draught
2,400 tons Displacement
6 x Water-tube boiler units feeding 2 x Geared steam turbines developing 70,000 horsepower and driving 2 x Shafts. Propulsion
5 x 5" (12.7cm) main guns in five single-gunned turrets.
2 x 37mm Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns in two twin-gunned mountings.
6 x 20mm AA guns in six single-gunned mountings.
2 x 21" quadruple torpedo tubes (four reloads).
Up to 60 x Naval mines and up to 64 depth charges.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.
