K1-class gunboat

The K1 class was a type of gunboat designed by the Kriegsmarine before World War II. The class was to have comprised four ships, which had been ordered under the provisional names K1, K2, K3, and K4. The four ships were ordered in November 1938, and were scheduled to have been completed by early 1942. However, the contracts for the four ships were canceled on 19 September 1939, two weeks after the start of World War II.

Design

General characteristics and machinery

The K1 class gunboats were 79 m (259 ft) long at the waterline, and 82.5 m (271 ft) long overall. The ships had a beam of 11.4 m (37 ft), a draft of 3.38 m (11.1 ft), and a displacement of 1,600 metric tons designed, 1,390 tons standard, and 1,890 tons at maximum displacement. The ships were of steel construction, and had 11 watertight compartments. The ships were to have used a pair of 4-cylinder triple expansion diesel engines that provided 4600 ihp, which would have driven two propellers. The ships were to have had a top speed of 18.5 knots, and a range of 3000 nautical miles at 12 knots. The ships were designed to carry 176 tons of fuel oil.