The destroyers Richard Beitzen, Bruno Heinemann, Paul Jakobi and Z29 escort the battleship Tirpitz to the Trondheimfjord.
127,0 mOverall length
3691 tMaximum displacement
37,5 knMaximum speed
320 - 332Complement
Design and service
The story of Z29
Z29 was part of the 8th destroyer flotilla - also called the "Narvik" flotilla and used during Operation Cerberus. Until Mid of 1942 the ship was based in Narvik and later took part in the Battle of the Barents Sea December of 1942. After Operation Sizilien, Z29 escorted the battlecruiser Scharnhorst during its last voyage.
In January 1945 the ship returned to Germany and was decommissioned on 07.05.1945.
Taken over by the British and given to the US in December 1945. Because of the bad condition of the ship it was sunk by the US Navy on 16. 12.
1946 near Jutland.
Operational history
Service timeline
Richard Beitzen, Bruno Heinemann, Paul Jakobi and Z29 return to Germany.
Friedrich Ihn and Z29 transfer to Brest.
Operation "Cerberus": On board of Z29, the "Füher der Zerstöer" and the destroyers Richard Beitzen, Paul Jakobi, Hermann Schoemann, Friedrich Ihn, Z25 and the torpedo boats T2, T4, T4, T11, T13, T15, T16, T17 Seeadler, Kondor, Jaguar, Falke and iescort the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen through the Channel from Brest ot Germany.
While being transferred to Kristiansand, the heavy cruiser Lützow is escorded by Richard Beitzen, Hans Lody, Z27 and Z29.
Mine laying operation at Jutland by Richard Beitzen, Hans Lody, Z27 and Z29.
Richard Beitzen, Hans Lody, Z27, Z29 and T12 escort the cruiser Lützow from Kristiansand to Trondheim.
The heavy cruiser Lützow is escorted by Richard Beitzen, Z27, Z29 and T7 from Trondheim to Narvik.
Operation Rösselsprung: In a major operation of the battleship Tirpitz and the heavy cruisers Admiral Scheer, Lützow and Admiral Hipper against the allied convoy PQ17, several destroyers and torpedo boats escort the capital ships: Friedrich Ihn, Hans Lody, Karl Galster, Theodor Riedel, Richard Beitzen, Friedrich Eckoldt, Erich Steinbrinck, Z24, Z27, Z28, Z29, Z30, T7 and T15. The operation is cancelled, but the convoy is heavily attacked by U-boats and the Luftwaffe.
Mine laying operation of Richard Beitzen, Z29 and Z30 in the Kara Sea.
The destroyers Richard Beizen, Z23, Z28, Z29 and Z30 proceed to a mine laying operation at Nowaja Semlja. They are covered by the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer.
Richard Beitzen, Friedrich Eckoldt and Z29 escort the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer from the Altafjord to Narvik.
Richard Beitzen, Friedrich Eckoldt, Z23, Z28 and Z29 escort the battleship Tirpitz and the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer from Narvik to Trondheim.
Z23, Z28 and Z29 escort the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer from Trondheim back to Germany.
Z23, Z25 and Z29 escort the light cruiser Nürnberg on its way to Trondheim.
At a glance
Technical profile
Dimensions, armament, protection and performance.
Dimensions
- Size (Max)
- 3691 t
- Length (Total)
- 127,0 m
- Length (Waterline)
- 121,9 m
- Beam
- 12,0 m
- Draft
- 4,62 m
- Crew
- 320 - 332
Armament
- 15 cm L/48 C/36 (5,9")
- 4
- 3,7 cm L/83 C/30
- 9 (since 1944)
- 2 cm MG L/65 C/30
- 7 (12 since 1942, 21 since 1944)
- 53,3 cm Torpedo tubes
- 8
- Mines
- 60
- Depth Charge launcher
- 4
Machinery
- Shafts
- 2
- Turbines
- 2
- Type
- Wagner (Deschimag build)
Performance
- Total Performance
- 70000 shp
- Speed
- 37,5 kn
- Range
- 2239 miles at 19 kn
Construction record
Z29
- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 21.03.1940
- Launched
- 15.10.1940
- Commissioned
- 25.06.1941
- Fate
- scuttled 16.12.1946