The FL-boat (Fernlenkboot, literally "remote controlled boat") was a weapon used by the Imperial German Navy during World War I. It was a remote-controlled motorboat, 17 m long, carrying 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) of explosives, which was intended to be steered directly at its targets - initially the Royal Navymonitors operating off the coast of Flanders.
FL-boats were constructed by Siemens-Schuckertwerke. They were driven by internal combustion engines and controlled remotely from a shore station through spooled wire unwound behind the boat. The wire was 20 kilometres (12 mi) long and the spool weighed 800 kilograms (1,800 lb). An aircraft could be used to signal directions to the shore station by radio. The commands available to the boat operator were:
System test
Engine start, engine stop
Set Rudder position
Turn on a light, to enable the boat to be tracked at night
Detonate the warhead, to prevent capture of the boat if it missed its target
Planned developments were to use a control station carried on a ship, in an airship or use a radio-control system. The boats could attain speeds of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).
On 1 March 1917 an FL-boat hit the Nieuwpoortmole and on 28 October 1917 one hit the Royal Navy monitor HMS Erebus.
boat, fernlenkboot, literally, remote, controlled, boat, weapon, used, imperial, german, navy, during, world, remote, controlled, motorboat, long, carrying, kilograms, explosives, which, intended, steered, directly, targets, initially, royal, navy, monitors, o. The FL boat Fernlenkboot literally remote controlled boat was a weapon used by the Imperial German Navy during World War I It was a remote controlled motorboat 17 m long carrying 700 kilograms 1 500 lb of explosives which was intended to be steered directly at its targets initially the Royal Navy monitors operating off the coast of Flanders Diagram of a FernlenkbootClass overview NameFernlenkboote BuildersSiemens Schuckert Operators Imperial German Navy Completed17 General characteristics Tonnage6 Length17 m 55 ft 9 in Speed30 knots 56 km h 35 mph CrewNone Armament700 kg 1 500 lb explosive charge FL boats were constructed by Siemens Schuckertwerke They were driven by internal combustion engines and controlled remotely from a shore station through spooled wire unwound behind the boat The wire was 20 kilometres 12 mi long and the spool weighed 800 kilograms 1 800 lb An aircraft could be used to signal directions to the shore station by radio The commands available to the boat operator were System test Engine start engine stop Set Rudder position Turn on a light to enable the boat to be tracked at night Detonate the warhead to prevent capture of the boat if it missed its target Planned developments were to use a control station carried on a ship in an airship or use a radio control system The boats could attain speeds of 30 knots 56 km h 35 mph On 1 March 1917 an FL boat hit the Nieuwpoort mole and on 28 October 1917 one hit the Royal Navy monitor HMS Erebus See also editMT explosive motorboat similar Italian manned assault boats of World War IIReferences editKarau Mark D 2003 Wielding the Dagger The Marinekorps Flandern and the German War Praeger Greenwood p 91 ISBN 0 313 32475 1 Lightoller C H 1935 Titanic and other ships I Nicholson and Watson Williamson Gordon 2002 German E Boats 1939 45 Osprey Publishing p 3 ISBN 1 84176 445 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title FL boat amp oldid 991091343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
