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Floating AA Batteries

The Floating AA Batteries - "Schwimmende Flakbatterien" - were a desperate attempt to oppose the threats of American and British strategic bombardments. Old warships - withdrawn from service or captured in the Netherlands or Norway were anchored in the main flight paths of allied bomber streams to attack them before they cross the German or German occupied coastline.

The selected ships could not be compared to antiaircraft cruisers build by the British or Americans, although some had a quite similar armament. In most ships, the engines were removed so that they had bo be pulled to their position. Their armament consisted in 10,5 cm, 4 cm, 3,7cm  and 2 cm anti-aircraft guns which was manned by soldiers of  the naval artillery units. They were also equipped with the most modern radar and communications equipment available at this time.


Arcona
Laid down: AG. Weser Bremen, 1899
Launched: 10.08.1900
Commissioned: 18.05.1901 (27.05.1940 as floating AA battery)
Fate: scrapped 1948/1949

Ariadne
Laid down: Rijkswerf Amsterdam, 1900
Launched: 07.06.1902
Commissioned: 05.01.1904
Fate: scrapped after 1955

Medusa
Laid down: AG. Weser Bremen, 1900
Launched: 05.12.1900
Commissioned: 26.07.1901 (July 1940 as floating AA battery)
Fate: scrapped 1948/1949

Niobe
Laid down: Fijenoord Rotterdam, 1898
Launched: 28.09.1898
Commissioned: 16.07.1900
Fate: sunk on 16.07.1944

Nymphe
Laid down: Armstrong Withworth & Co Elswick, 1896
Launched: 18.03.1897
Commissioned: 1898 (01.02.1941 as floating AA battery)
Fate: beached 1945

Thetis
Laid down: Armstrong Withworth & Co Elswick, 1896
Launched: 04.01.1897
Commissioned: 1898 (01.02.1941 as floating AA battery)
Fate: scrapped 1947

Undine
Laid down: Rijkswerf Amsterdam, 1900
Launched: 22.09.1906
Commissioned: 22.04.1908
Fate: scrapped 1975