 MFP-D drawing | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Various |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Einheitslandungsboot |
| Subclasses | |
| Built |
|
| In commission | 1941–1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Landing Craft |
| Displacement | 220–239 t (217–235 long tons; 243–263 short tons) |
| Length | 47.04–49.84 m (154 ft 4 in – 163 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 6.53–6.59 m (21 ft 5 in – 21 ft 7 in) |
| Draught | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion | 3 ×Deutz diesel engines |
| Speed | 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) empty |
| Range | Max 1,340 nmi (2,480 km; 1,540 mi) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) |
| Capacity | 85–140 t (84–138 long tons; 94–154 short tons) |
| Complement | 17–25 |
| Armament | |
| Armour | 20 mm (0.79 in) |
TheMarinefährprahm (MFP, naval ferry barge) was the largestlanding craft operated by the GermanKriegsmarine duringWorld War II. The MFP was used for transport, mine laying, as an escort and agunboat in theMediterranean,Baltic andBlack Seas as well as theEnglish Channel and Norwegian coastal waters. Originally developed forOperation Sea Lion the proposed invasion of England, the first of these ships was commissioned on 16 April 1941, with approximately 700 being completed by the end of war. Allied sources sometimes refer to this class of vessel as a "Flak Lighter" or "F-lighter".[6]
Four types, A–D, were developed, whose size and armament grew from type to type. Some specialised derivatives such as artillery vessels and mine laying vessels were also built on the basis of these craft. They were not mainly used for their initial invasion role but for transport and supply, escort and harbour protection. The MFPs were protected by 20 mm-thick (0.79 in) steel armor plating.[7]
This first version of the MFP was intended to be of all-welded construction to save weight. A shortage of skilled welders meant that only the original prototype,F 100, was built that way and all following examples had extensiveriveting. The original power plant of the MFP-A was to be two 600 PS (590 hp) BMW 6U engines and one 100 PS (99 hp) six-cylinderDeutz diesel truck engine.[8] At full power, the MFP-A could make 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph). The BMW engines proved unreliable and used excessive amounts of fuel so it was decided to use a set of three Deutz diesel truck engines. Though this reduced the vessel's maximum speed to 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph), the loss of speed was more than offset by the greater reliability of the Deutz engines and more economical cruising range.[citation needed]
The A1s were intended for use inOperation Herkules, the planned Italo–German invasion ofMalta. Ten were modified to carry captured SovietKV-1 heavy tanks. This required strengthening and widening of thewell decks and internal ramps and outward repositioning of the bow ramp counterbalance weights to make room.
| General characteristicsArtilleriefährprahm | |
|---|---|
| Type | Gunboat |
| Displacement | 300 t (300 long tons; 330 short tons) |
| Length | 47.04 m (154 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 3 × Deutz diesel engines |
| Speed | 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) |
| Range | Max 412 nmi (763 km; 474 mi) |
| Complement | 48 |
| Armament |
|
| Armour | 20 mm steel plus 100 mm concrete |
TheArtilleriefährprahm (AFP, 'artillery ferry') was a gunboat derivative of the MFP. These ships were used for escorting convoys, shore bombardment and minelaying. They were fitted with two 88 mm guns and light AA guns.[10]
In late 1941, forOperazione C3, the invasion of Malta, theRegia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) secured the drawings of the MFP-A from theKriegsmarine and placed an initial order for 65 vessels, numbered 701 to 765. TheseBette MZ (colloquially "motozattere") were built in Italian shipyards, primarily in and aroundPalermo and gave theRegia Marina the amphibious capability to land infantry, armored vehicles and supplies on beaches. Up to threeM13/40 medium tanks and 100 infantry could be carried or an equivalent weight in cargo. The only major design changes were to substitute Italian diesel engines (OM BXD 150 CV (148 hp) six-cylinder types as used in theLittorina diesel trains) for the three German Deutz truck engines and to replace the German 7.5 cm deck gun with a76 mm/40 gun. The anti-aircraft armament was usually protected with sandbags or concrete blocks.[11]
The firstmotozattera was laid down in March 1942. By July of that year, the month slated for the Malta invasion, all 65 MZs were ready for deployment but on 27 July the invasion was indefinitely postponed.[12] Many of the Italian MZs were diverted to the task of ferrying supplies from Italy toLibya and between ports along the Libyan coast to support the advance ofPanzerarmee Afrika into Egypt. In September 1942, another forty MZs (761–800) were ordered. This modified version featured a raised bow to improve sea-keeping, a strengthened keel, larger fuel tanks for increased range, a lining of 100 mm (3.9 in) thick concrete armor for anti-splinter protection and a second 20 mm AA gun mounted amidships. The Italian MZs played a key role in defeatingOperation Agreement, an attempted Allied landing inTobruk on 14 September 1942, when they drove off anMTB flotilla in the port of Tobruk. The MZs captured an amphibious motor barge and twolighters attempting to reach Alexandria with stragglers, among them Captain John Micklethwait, the commander ofHMS Sikh.[13][14]
A third series of forty MZs was ordered in June 1943 but none were ever completed. A further 20 examples (MZ 801–820) were planned, copies of the MFP-D (including the same engines and armament) but were never built as by then the war situation for Italy had worsened considerably and her armed forces had been expelled from North Africa. Ninety-fivemotozattere were built in Italian shipyards prior to theArmistice of Cassibile with the Allies on 8 September 1943.[15]
The first use of theMarinefährprahm was duringOperation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. TwelveMarinefährprähme were used duringOperation Beowulf II as part of the German invasion ofSaaremaa,Hiiumaa andMuhu on 14 September 1941. TheMarinefährprahm provided logistical support during theSiege of Sevastopol in June 1942. Twenty-fourMarinefährprähme from1. Landungs-Flotille transported aKampfgruppe from the46th Infantry Division across theKerch Strait to theTaman Peninsula as part ofOperation Blücher II on the night of 2 September 1942.[16]
Between January and October 1943,Marinefährprähme were used to evacuate the17th Army from theKuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, despite Soviet attacks during theBattle of the Caucasus. The sea evacuation brought out 239,669 soldiers, 16,311 wounded, 27,456 civilians and 115,477 tons of military equipment (primarily ammunition), 21,230 vehicles, 74 tanks, 1,815 guns and 74,657 horses to theCrimea.[17] In February 1944, three MFPs were purchased by the Romanian Navy and renamedPTA-404,PTA-405 andPTA-406.[16]
