In Service: 20 March 1943 to 1949
Ordered:
Builder: N.V.
Werf Gusto Firma v/h A.F. Smulders, Schiedam
Construction No:
Laid down:
Launched: 15 December 1942
Commissioned: 20 March 1943
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:
The M 453 Minesweeper (Minensuchboot) was built in the 1940s
by
N.V.
Werf Gusto Firma v/h A.F. Smulders shipyard located in
Schiedam, The Netherlands 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 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.
20 March 1943
The Minesweeper M 453 is commissioned.
1943
The Minesweeper M 453 becomes operational with the 25. Minensuchflottille.
1945
The Minesweeper M 453 is seized as a prize of war by the USA.
4 October 1945
The Minesweeper M 453 serves with the
German
Mine Sweeping Administration (GMSA).
24 February 1948
The Minesweeper M 453 is transferred to DDG Hansa of Bremen
for conversion to a motor ferry, however, was not used.
February 1949
The Minesweeper M 453 is returned to the United States Navy.
Date
The Minesweeper M 453 is broken up and scrapped at Ghent.
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
