| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau, Bremen |
| Launched | 1939 |
| Commissioned | 1940 |
| Identification |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type |
|
| Tonnage | 381 GRT, 127 NRT |
| Length | 42.55 m (139 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 8.08 m (26 ft 6 in) |
| Depth | 3.96 m (13 ft 0 in) |
| Installed power | 217 nhp |
| Propulsion | Triple expansion steam engine |
V 1502Wiking 6 was a GermanVorpostenboot built in 1939 as thewhalerWiking 6. Requisition by theKriegsmarine, she served throughout World War II as V 1502Wiking 6 and theFlakjägerFlJ 24Wiking 6 before being seized by theRoyal Navy atEmden on 29 October 1945 and renamedEmpire Viking VI. Allocated to theSoviet Union in 1946, she was renamedSlava II.
The ship was 42.55 metres (139 ft 7 in) long, with a beam of 8.08 metres (26 ft 6 in) and a depth of 3.96 metres (13 ft 0 in). She was powered by atriple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 43 cm (1615⁄16 in), 72 cm (283⁄8 in) and 120 cm (471⁄4 in) diameter by 68 cm (263⁄4 in) stroke. It drove a single screw propeller and was rated at 217nhp.[1]
Wiking 6 was built as awhaler byDeutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau,Wesermünde for Deutsche Ölmülen RohstoffeGmbH,Hamburg. Her port of registry was Hamburg and theCode Letters DKAP were allocated. She was operated under the management of the Hamburger Walfang Kantor GmbH.[1] In 1939, she was requisitioned by theKriegsmarine, serving from 25 October with 15Vorpostenflotille as theVorpostenboot V 1502Wiking 6. She was redesignated as aFlakjäger in 1940, serving as theFlakjäger FlJ 24Wiking 6.[2]
On 29 October 1945, FlJ 24Wiking 6 was seized by theRoyal Navy as aprize of war atEmden. She was passed to theMinistry of War Transport and renamedEmpire Viking VI.[3] The Code Letters GSBX were allocated and her port of registry was changed to London.[4] She was sent to theSouthern Ocean in November 1945. On 7 December, she was allocated to theSoviet Union by the Tripartite Merchant Marine Commission inBerlin. She was handed over to the Soviet Union in September 1946 inLondon. She was renamedSlava II.[3]
Slava II may have been in service until 2012. On 31 October 2012, a ship of that name was severely damaged by fire atKachemak, Alaska, United States when a man tried to commitsuicide on board by pouring flammable liquid over himself and setting fire to it.[5]
