UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe Forum Naval Porthole

While performing spring cleaning in a closet I rarely enter. I found a great German ships porthole that I purchased back in 2002. I started researching it this weekend and here is what I found out about it:
Minensuchboot 1935
Name: M81
Construction: Lübecker Maschinenbaugesellschaft Lübeck, 1940
Launched: 20.12.1940
Commissioned: 17.07.1941
Fate: Taken over by the USA after the war. Given to France as Laffaux in 1947. Sold to Germany in 1957 as Hummel . Decommissioned in 1963, used as target ship. Scrapped 1976.

Very interesting Bob, good result finding that information.

Thanks,
Here is some other data:

4th Minesweeper Flotilla: (from September 1939 to spring 1945)
M61, M89, M136, M510, M511, M534, M582, M584
(added later)
M1, M2, M36, M81, M101, M132, M203, M204, M255

M 81
Minesweeper

Service Data

In Service: 17 July 1941 to 19 March 1976
Production Data

Ordered:
Builder: Lübecker Maschinenbau Gesellschaft, Lübeck
Construction No: 427
Laid down:
Launched: 20 December 1940
Commissioned: 17 July 1941
Technical Data

Type: 1935/39 Type Minesweeper/Minensuchboot
Class: M 1 Class

Displacement: 685 tons standard 878 tons full load
Length: 68.4 m
Beam: 8.7 m
Draft: 2.65 m
Propulsion: 2 × Lentz uniform expansion engines producing up to 3,200 shp
Propellers: 2
Speed: 18.3 knots
Range: 5,000 nautical miles at 10 knots
Crew: 90 men and officers
Armament:
2 × 10.5 cm L/45
carried 480 rounds
2 × 3.7 cm L/83 SK C/30
carried 3000 rounds
2 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30
carried 4000 rounds
4 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30 after 1942
carried 6000 rounds
30 mines
Armour 10 mm
Aircraft:
Electronics:
Operators: Kriegsmarine
Variants:

Other: Minesweepers
Articles:
History

The M 81 Minesweeper (Minensuchboot) was built in the 1940s by Lübecker Maschinenbau Gesellschaft shipyard located in Lübeck, Germany as a minesweeper or escort vessel for the Kriegsmarine.

Construction was longitudinal and ransverse frame of steel construction, which was partly welded, this vessel also had twelve watertight compartments and a double bottom. The superstructure, Bridge etc was made from light alloys. The propulsion system installed in these vessels was the two Lentz uniform expansion engines. And when used as minesweepers the Kabel Fern Raum Gerät (KFRG) system was employed, which used generators producing 60 V, 20 kW to power the magnetic sweeping gear.

This vessel went on to serve in the 4. Minensuchflottille, 5. Minensuchflottille and 6. Minensuchflottille during World War II.

And after the surrender of Germany was employed in the German Mine Sweeping Administration (GMSA) which was controlled by the allies.
Career

17 July 1941
The Minesweeper M 81 is commissioned.

1941
The Minesweeper M 81 served with the following flotilla's 4. Minensuchflottille, 5. Minensuchflottille and 6. Minensuchflottille.

1945
The Minesweeper M 81 is seized as a prize of war by the USA.

1945
The Minesweeper M 81 serves with the German Mine Sweeping Administration (GMSA).

9 October 1947
The Minesweeper M 81 is transferred to France and renamed Laffaux.

22 November 1956
The Laffaux a stricken from naval records and used as the hulk Q 75.

29 February 1957
The Q 75 is renamed to Hummel whilst serving with the German Federal Navy (Bundesmarine).

5 October 1963
The Hummel is removed from active service and use as a target ship.

December 1966
The Hummel becomes stranded at Fano-Weststrand in a severe storm, and later sinks

1967
The Hummel is refloated.

19 March 1976
The Hummel is broken up and scrapped at Kiel.
Commanders

Here are some more pictures and i was wrong about the date i bought it. It was in 2005.

Nice to see additional pictures, it sure is a nice thing to have! it is so nice to attribute some history to such things we collect. Where did you find all that info?

She certainly had a diverse and interesting career.

Very Cool!

Thanks
I just researched it on the net.

Well, to get that much on the net for what one would assume to be a fairly obscure subject is quite remarkable. Good stuff!