Together with the light cruisers Nürnberg and Köln and the torpedo boats Iltis, Leopard and Seeadler, the Wolf escorts the returning destroyers Karl Galster, Herman Künne, Hans Lüdemann and Wilhelm Heidkamp after a mine laying operation against the Themse estuary.
Design and service
The story of Wolf
Wolf was part of the 6th Torpedoboot Flotilla at the outbreak of the war and took part in minelaying operations until spring 1940. She participated in Operation "Weserübung" in April 1940 and transferred to the Channel that autumn. A mine damaged Wolf north of Dunkirk on 8 January 1941, and she sank at 51°05′N, 2°08′E.
Operational history
Service timeline
Together with the light cruiser Nürnberg and the torpedo boats Iltis, Seeadler and Leopard, the Wolf escorts the returning destroyers Erich Steinbrinck, Hans Lody and Friedrich Eckold after a mine laying operation against the Humber estuary.
Merchant warfare near Jutland together with Panzerschiff Lützow, the cruisers Köln and Leipzig and the torpedo boats Leopard, Seeadler and Iltis.
Together with the torpedo boat Leopard, the Wolf escorts the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis through the North Sea.
Operation Weserübung: Wolf joins the torpedo boat Leopard in the Bergen Attack Group.
Together with the destroyers Richard Beitzen and Bruno Heinemann and the torpedo boats Leopard, Kondor and Möwe, the Wolf escorts the mine layers Kaiser, Roland and Preussen while laying the mine field 17n. The mine layers carry over 1000 mines. The Leopard is lost after being rammed by the mine layer Kaiser.
Operation of the 5. Torpedo boat flotilla against the Isle of Wright.
Operation of the 5. Torpedo boat flotilla against the Isle of Wright. The French submarine hunters Ch6 and Ch7 and the British armed trawlers Listrac and Warwick Deeping are sunk.
Operation against the Bristol Channel together with the destroyers Friedrich Ihn, Erick Steinbrinck, Hans Lody, Karl Galster and the torpedo boats Falke, Greif, Jaguar, Kondor, and Seeadler. Short engangement with British cruisers and destroyers.
Mine laying operation of Kondor and Wolf near Dover.
Wolf sinks after mine hit near Dunkirk.
At a glance
Technical profile
Dimensions, armament, protection and performance.
Dimensions
- Size (Max)
- 1320 t
- Length (Total)
- 92,60 m
- Length (Waterline)
- 89,00 m
- Beam
- 8,60 m
- Draft
- 2,83 m
- Crew
- 119-129
Armament
- 10,5 cm L/45 C/32
- 3
- 2 cm Flak L/65 C/39
- 2 (4 since 1940)
- 53,3 cm Torpedo Tubes
- 6 (since 1931)
- 50 cm Torpedo Tubes
- 6 (unitl 1931)
- Mines
- 30
Machinery
- Shafts
- 2
- Turbines
- 2
- Type
- Brown, Boveri & Cie Geared Tubrines
Performance
- Total Performance
- 25500 shp
- Speed
- 35,2 kn
- Range
- 2000 sm at 17 kn
The archive
Photographs
Original postcard and photographic material from the private collection.

Construction record
Wolf
- Laid down
- Marinewerft Wilhelmshaven, 08.03.1927
- Launched
- 12.10.1927
- Commissioned
- 15.11.1928
- Fate
- sunk on 08.01.1941
