Franz Holzeder
Rommel
Photos by the Author
History:
After the second World War, in the year 1956, the German navy bought for the first time again a destroyer. Six units of the famous Fletcher class were purchased from the US Navy. With introduction of the Frigate of the 122 class, the �Fletchers� were sold to Greece, or either scrapped or used as ship targets. As Wilhelmshavener model this ships are still available as Digital print (Item # 1211). The next destroyer generation, the Hamburg class, was built in Germany, which can also be built as Wihelmshavener Model (Item # 1236) with all variations of modernizations. Later three additional destroyers were purchased, but these were produced in America. These were actually three units of a modified type of the Charles F. Adams class. In this article we refer to last destroyers, which are available at the M�we Verlag under the item # 1241.
The
construction order for these destroyers was contracted to the American shipyard
�Bath Iron works� in Bath/Maine on the 1. April of 1965. The fixed price for
three units was 150 Million Dollar.
The construction began in the years 1966/1967 and the ships were taken into service by the German navy from March 1969 to May 1970. The ships were given the following NATO identification markers: D185 (L�tjens), D186 (M�lders) and D 187 Rommel and were added to the ship listing as class 103A. The three ships formed the 1. destroyer squadron in Wilhelmshaven. It main purpose was the reconnaissance of sea and air territory as well as the combat of planes, plane objects, ships as well as submarines.
With a length of 134 meters and a displacement of 4717 tons this ships were the biggest battleships of the German Navy until the addition of the frigates of the �Brandenburg class�. Four high pressure vessels supply two steam turbines with total power of 51520 KW. This hot steam turbines supply the destroyer with a maximum speed of 34 knots.
The extensive armament provides the ship with great fighting strength. As tube weapons she carries two full automatic turrets with a caliber of 127 mm and max. shooting interval of 32 shoots/min. For the combat of sea targets, a round magazine with starter for flying objects from which SM-1 flying objects (Standard Missile) could be fired. For the submarine defense she is using a low weight torpedo, which can be fired out of six torpedo tubes (2x3 at the front edge of the bridge).
Throughout the years all three units were extensively modernized. The guidance and weapons systems were brought to the newest available technologies. In addition the ships received two near distance flight Rolling Airframe Missiles with each 21 cells as well as two 20 mm machine canons from Rheinmetall with a shooting sequence of 1000 shoots/min. The round magazine as well as the starter of the SM1-flying objects were modified in such a way that modern harpoons could be fired. Additional modifications enabled the ship to get fueled at high sea.
On 30.06.1999 as first unit the destroyer Rommel was taken out of service and was used afterwards for providing spare parts. The Moelders was taken out of service on 31.05.2003 and will be saved for latter generations as museum ship in the navy museum in Wihelmshaven. With the arrival of the frigate �Hessen�in 2004 the last destroyer of Germany �Luetjens�will be taken out of service. This will end the era of destroyers in Germany.
The Model:
The model is designed by Peter Brandt with 1000 parts and is easy to built, fits well and is a great addition to a model fleet.
I have build the Rommel as she was taken out of service in 1999. The model is not upgraded, except the white railing on the bridge structure was replaced by a hemp railing. This is absolute necessary, as the white railing stripes look very ugly at the model.
Concluding it is my wish, that with the retirement of the last destroyers, the publisher would agree to include the class 103 B with a new release of the model.
Summary:
| Model: |
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| Kit: |
Moewe Verlag (Wilhelmshaven |
| Designers: |
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| Availability: |
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| Scale: |
1: 250 |
| Difficulty: |
difficult |
| Number of Parts: |
950 |
| Instructions: |
Introduction in German, Instruction with diagrams |
| Diagrams: |
Some diagrams |
| Fit: |
Very good |
| Coloring and Artwork: |
Very good |
| Printing: |
Very good |
| Resources: |
www.de-nichilo.de/D185_luetjens.html |
| Contact/Question |
Franz.Holzeder@t-online.de
Only in German language |
