![]() They were the first “zerstörer” laid down since 1918, and based by default on a mix of features of late WWI designs. The first replacement programme was in reality a newly designed “destroyer” under severe tonnage limitations, the Type 1923 and Type 1924 better known as the “Raubvögel” and “Raubtiere” based on their names, birds of prey and predators. The Versailles Treaty nevertheless restricted the new Reichsmarine by treaty to twelve torpedo boats and twelve destroyers, nothing more, with a possible replacement of vintage WW1 units plus extra decommissioned ships for cannibalization. The allied powers which submitted Germany to the Versailles Treaty which authorized the Reichsmarine some leeway in this category since it was mostly seen as defensive, not to project power. Now, of the two nations most proficient in torpedo boats, Italy was the only nation of the future axis that was bound by the Washington treaty. On top, the torpedo boats and newly built destroyers in service Reichsmarine’s torpedo boat prior to 1935. Both had either an Empire or were building one, and rather wanted a coherent fleet, priority being given to fleet destroyers. This also made sense in terms of maritime strategy. Both Japan and France stopped building torpedo boats were destroyers became the standard anyway, well before WWI. Both countries scrapped their torpedo boats to free tonnage or just through obsolescence. *Italy had a proficience in this time, with many modern designs and reclassed WWI destroyers to boot, to compensate for destroyer tonnage seen as unsufficient, Japan had only the Tomozuru and Otori class built in 1933-37, but replaced by escorts later, while France only developed the Melpomène (1935) and Le Fier class (1940, never completed). G7/T107, one of the numerous vintage WWI hochseetorpedoboote of the Kaiserlichesmarine modernized in the Reichsmarine. ![]() The Scandinavian Nations for example still relied on them and built some up to WW2, although motor torpedo boats were also considered and sometimes took their place. They were cheaper than submersibles, and still usable for narrow waters point defence. Alongside them, a cohort of other nations still had torpedo boats in their inventory. ![]() This “revival” concerned in order of importance given to the category, Italy, Germany, Japan and France*. Later they would be reclassidied a torpedo boats, but proved quite capable in their new roleīefore WW2, only four nations signatory of the Washington Treaty considered the torpedo boats as a way to go around some limitations in tonnage for destroyers, although this category was largely seen as obsolete after the great war. The simultaneous christening ceremony of the 4 new German “destroyers” Tiger, Luchs, Jaguar and Leopard at the Wilhelmshaven shipyard, presided by Vice Admiral Bauer. Germany (1924-45) – 36 (90 planned)+ 49 TB Ausland (TA), total 84 Why German Torpedo Boats in WW2 ?
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