This website is NOT meant to promote Nazism, the politics of Adolf Hitler, or any other political ideology. It deals with the subject of German military during a particular period of history nothing else.



Wehrmacht History 1935 to 1945

Menu



M 342

Minesweeper




Sorry no image available

Service Data

In Service: 7 June 1942 to 1945

Production Data

Ordered:
Builder: AG Neptun, Rostock
Construction No:
Laid down:
Launched: 11 June 1941
Commissioned: 7 June 1942

Technical Data

Type: 1940 Type Minesweeper/Minensuchboot
Class: M 261 Class

Displacement: 543 tons standard 775 tons full load
Length: 62.3 m
Beam: 8.9 m
Draft: 2.82 m
Propulsion: 2 × vertical 3 cylinder triple expansion engines producing up to 2,150 shp
Propellers:
Speed: 17.2 knots
Range: 4,000 nautical miles at 10 knots
Crew: 65 men and officers
Armament:
1 × 10.5 cm L/45
carried 120 rounds
1 × 3.7 cm L/83 SK C/30
carried 2000 rounds
2 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30
carried 4000 rounds
7 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30 after 1941
carried 14000 rounds
30 mines
Armour 10 mm
Aircraft:
Electronics:
Operators: Kriegsmarine
Variants:

Other: Minesweepers
Articles:

History

The M 342 Minesweeper (Minensuchboot) was built in the 1940s by AG Neptun shipyard located in Rostock, Germany as a minesweeper or escort vessel for the Kriegsmarine.

Construction was transverse frame of steel construction, which was partly welded, this vessel also had eleven watertight compartments and a double bottom with hard chine foreship and tug stern. The superstructure, Bridge etc was armored up to 10 mm in thickness. The propulsion system installed in these vessels was the two vertical three cylinder triple expansion engines. And when used as minesweepers the Kabel Fern Raum Gerat (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 21. Minensuchflottille and 25. 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

7 June 1942
The Minesweeper M 342 is commissioned.

1942
The Minesweeper M 342 served with the following flotilla's 21. Minensuchflottille and 25. Minensuchflottille.

1945
The Minesweeper M 342 serves with the German Mine Sweeping Administration (GMSA).

26 October 1945
The Minesweeper M 342 is seized as a prize of war by the Russians.

1945
The Minesweeper M 342 is transferred to the Black Sea fleet as a T 7 class minesweeper.

Commanders



Gallery


Leave a Comment

Name:


Email:


Comments:

CAPTCHA Image Audio Version Refresh

Sources

German Warships, 1815-1945: Major Surface Vessels.
ISBN-10: 0851775330

German Warships, 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.
ISBN-10: 155750301X

German warships of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0668040378

For a complete list of sources
News
WWII News articles from around the world
WWII News


WWII Timeline
World War Two Timeline, detailing every event, day by day from 1935 through to 1945.
WWII Timeline

Support This Site
There are many ways to help support this site if you would like more information
Click Here

Join Our Newsletter
To receive the latest news on Book Reviews, Movies and site updates join my free Newsletter





©Wehrmacht History