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MS Schwabenland (1925)

April 11, 2024

For other ships with the same name, see MS Schwabenland.

MS Schwabenland was a German catapult ship owned by the Deutsche Luft Hansa. It took part in the 1938-1939 Third German Antarctic Expedition.[1]

Schwabenland before 1939
History
Weimar / Nazi Germany
NameMS Schwabenland
NamesakeThe region of Swabia in Germany
Launched1925
CompletedJuly 1925
Refit1934
FateLoaded with poison gas shells and scuttled, 31 December 1946
General characteristics
TypeSteamship
Tonnage8,500 GRT
PropulsionTwin diesel screws
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Aviation facilitiesCrane and catapult for flying boats

Characteristics edit

Schwabenland was a Hansa liner of 8,500 gross register tons (GRT), built in 1925. It was converted into a catapult ship in 1934; a Heinkel-built K-9 catapult was installed on the ship's stern, along with a crane for lifting aircraft. The K-9 could accelerate a 15-ton aircraft to 94 miles per hour (151 km/h). Schwabenland's twin diesel screws gave it a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[2]

Lufthansa air mail edit

Lufthansa sought to engage in air mail service to the Americas using seaplanes launched off catapult ships, with Schwabenland being the second of those ships. The craft flew with a payload of 500 kg (1,100 lb) over 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi);[3] each flight carried 100,000 air mail letters.[4]

Two Dornier Do 18 Lufthansa seaplanes christened Zephir and Aeolus were used for air mail flights from the Azores to the United States and from Fernando de Noronha to Natal.[5]

Third German Antarctic Expedition edit

Main article: New Swabia

Schwabenland was borrowed from Lufthansa for the 1938-1939 Third German Antarctic Expedition. The ship sailed in secret from Hamburg on 17 December 1938, carrying a complement of 82 men and two Dornier Wal seaplanes. The ship contacted the German whaling fleet off Bouvet Island, then anchored near the edge of the pack ice at 69°14′S, 4°30′W. After the expedition had completed its work, Schwabenland headed north on 6 February 1939, reaching Germany again on 11 April.[6]

World War II and fate edit

 
Schwabenland with two seaplanes near catapult, 1939

In October 1939 Schwabenland entered Luftwaffe service and used Blohm & Voss BV 138 seaplanes. After the fall of France it was stationed off the coast of Occupied France, based from the ports of Le Havre and Boulogne.[7]

In August 1942 it was transferred to Tromsø, Norway.[8]

The ship was damaged and forced to beach by the British submarine Terrapin in 1944 which was attacking a convoy off Flekkefjord, Norway. Schwabenland was then run aground at Sildeneset in Abelnes Harbour, and later refloated. When the war ended, the ship was taken by the British, and on 31 December 1946 it was loaded with poison gas ammunition, and scuttled in the Skagerrak.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Schwabenland in the Antarctic". The Geographical Journal. 95 (1). The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers): 52–54. January 1940. doi:10.2307/1788684. JSTOR 1788684.
  2. ^ Marriott, Leo (2006). Catapult aircraft : the story of seaplanes flown from battleships, cruisers and other warships of the world's navies, 1912-1950 (1. publ. in Great Britain. ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. pp. 101–105. ISBN 184415419X.
  3. ^ Dancey, Peter Lufthansa to Luftwaffe-Hitlers: Secret Air Force Lulu Press, Inc, 12 Mar 2013
  4. ^ . Lufthansa Group. Deutsche Lufthansa AG. 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  5. ^ Grosschopff, Robert (2010). "South Atlantic Mail Services". southatlanticflight.com. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  6. ^ Mills, William James; et al. (2003). Exploring polar frontiers : a historical encyclopedia (Volume 1). Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.]: ABC-CLIO. pp. 552–553. ISBN 978-1576074220.
  7. ^ p. 420 Warship International, Volume 27 International Naval Research Organization, 1990
  8. ^ Page 420 Warship International - Volume 27 1990
  9. ^ Greenway, Ambrose (2011). Cargo liners : an illustrated history (New ed.). Barnsley: Seaforth Pub. p. 66. ISBN 978-1848321298. Retrieved 3 September 2015.

Bibliography edit

  • Caruana, Joseph; Grobmeier, Alvin H.; Layman, R. D. & Truebe, Carl E. (1990). "Question 33/89". Warship International. XXVI (4): 417–420. ISSN 0043-0374.
  • Murphy, David Thomas (2002). "Aryan Aurora". German Exploration of the Polar World : A History, 1870–1940. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 183–207. ISBN 0-8032-3205-5.

External links edit

  • The Interesting History of the Lufthansa Catapult Ships
  • Wreck site
  • Photos

58°10′22″N 10°45′24″E / 58.1728°N 10.7567°E / 58.1728; 10.7567

April 11, 2024
schwabenland, 1925, other, ships, with, same, name, schwabenland, schwabenland, german, catapult, ship, owned, deutsche, luft, hansa, took, part, 1938, 1939, third, german, antarctic, expedition, schwabenland, before, 1939historyweimar, nazi, germanynamems, sc. For other ships with the same name see MS Schwabenland MS Schwabenland was a German catapult ship owned by the Deutsche Luft Hansa It took part in the 1938 1939 Third German Antarctic Expedition 1 Schwabenland before 1939HistoryWeimar Nazi GermanyNameMS SchwabenlandNamesakeThe region of Swabia in GermanyLaunched1925CompletedJuly 1925Refit1934FateLoaded with poison gas shells and scuttled 31 December 1946General characteristicsTypeSteamshipTonnage8 500 GRTPropulsionTwin diesel screwsSpeed12 knots 22 km h 14 mph Aviation facilitiesCrane and catapult for flying boats Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Lufthansa air mail 3 Third German Antarctic Expedition 4 World War II and fate 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksCharacteristics editSchwabenland was a Hansa liner of 8 500 gross register tons GRT built in 1925 It was converted into a catapult ship in 1934 a Heinkel built K 9 catapult was installed on the ship s stern along with a crane for lifting aircraft The K 9 could accelerate a 15 ton aircraft to 94 miles per hour 151 km h Schwabenland s twin diesel screws gave it a speed of 12 knots 22 km h 14 mph 2 Lufthansa air mail editLufthansa sought to engage in air mail service to the Americas using seaplanes launched off catapult ships with Schwabenland being the second of those ships The craft flew with a payload of 500 kg 1 100 lb over 5 000 kilometres 3 100 mi 3 each flight carried 100 000 air mail letters 4 Two Dornier Do 18 Lufthansa seaplanes christened Zephir and Aeolus were used for air mail flights from the Azores to the United States and from Fernando de Noronha to Natal 5 Third German Antarctic Expedition editMain article New Swabia Schwabenland was borrowed from Lufthansa for the 1938 1939 Third German Antarctic Expedition The ship sailed in secret from Hamburg on 17 December 1938 carrying a complement of 82 men and two Dornier Wal seaplanes The ship contacted the German whaling fleet off Bouvet Island then anchored near the edge of the pack ice at 69 14 S 4 30 W After the expedition had completed its work Schwabenland headed north on 6 February 1939 reaching Germany again on 11 April 6 World War II and fate edit nbsp Schwabenland with two seaplanes near catapult 1939In October 1939 Schwabenland entered Luftwaffe service and used Blohm amp Voss BV 138 seaplanes After the fall of France it was stationed off the coast of Occupied France based from the ports of Le Havre and Boulogne 7 In August 1942 it was transferred to Tromso Norway 8 The ship was damaged and forced to beach by the British submarine Terrapin in 1944 which was attacking a convoy off Flekkefjord Norway Schwabenland was then run aground at Sildeneset in Abelnes Harbour and later refloated When the war ended the ship was taken by the British and on 31 December 1946 it was loaded with poison gas ammunition and scuttled in the Skagerrak 9 References edit The Schwabenland in the Antarctic The Geographical Journal 95 1 The Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers 52 54 January 1940 doi 10 2307 1788684 JSTOR 1788684 Marriott Leo 2006 Catapult aircraft the story of seaplanes flown from battleships cruisers and other warships of the world s navies 1912 1950 1 publ in Great Britain ed Barnsley Pen amp Sword Aviation pp 101 105 ISBN 184415419X Dancey Peter Lufthansa to Luftwaffe Hitlers Secret Air Force Lulu Press Inc 12 Mar 2013 80th anniversary of trailblazing airmail flight across the South Atlantic Lufthansa Group Deutsche Lufthansa AG 30 January 2014 Archived from the original on 29 September 2014 Retrieved 3 September 2015 Grosschopff Robert 2010 South Atlantic Mail Services southatlanticflight com Retrieved 3 September 2015 Mills William James et al 2003 Exploring polar frontiers a historical encyclopedia Volume 1 Santa Barbara Calif u a ABC CLIO pp 552 553 ISBN 978 1576074220 p 420 Warship International Volume 27 International Naval Research Organization 1990 Page 420 Warship International Volume 27 1990 Greenway Ambrose 2011 Cargo liners an illustrated history New ed Barnsley Seaforth Pub p 66 ISBN 978 1848321298 Retrieved 3 September 2015 Bibliography editCaruana Joseph Grobmeier Alvin H Layman R D amp Truebe Carl E 1990 Question 33 89 Warship International XXVI 4 417 420 ISSN 0043 0374 Murphy David Thomas 2002 Aryan Aurora German Exploration of the Polar World A History 1870 1940 Lincoln University of Nebraska Press pp 183 207 ISBN 0 8032 3205 5 External links editThe Interesting History of the Lufthansa Catapult Ships Wreck site Photos 58 10 22 N 10 45 24 E 58 1728 N 10 7567 E 58 1728 10 7567 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MS Schwabenland 1925 amp oldid 1204239503, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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