Lindau (Type 331B) Coastal Minehunter

Lindau was the first ship built in Germany for the West German Navy after the end of Second World War. The Lindau class was the German version of the NATO unit type made and adapted by various NATO member states US Bluebird class. As a replica of this type six boats of the Mercure type were built in 1959-60 in France for the German Federal Navy ( Vegesack class).

The Lindau class, however, was slightly modified, and received, for example, modifications to improve the stability of the lower bridge construction. They proved to be a very robust and versatile boat class. So both versions were ( mine hunting boat and hollow rod steering boot) has been successfully used in the Persian Gulf during Operation southern flank. The boats were repeatedly upgraded over time and reclassified. In the period of 1991 and 2000 they were finally withdrawan from service.

Between 1970 and 1979, twelve of the boats were converted to mine hunting boats, initially for two subclass 331A and middle of the decade the remaining ten to subclass 331B. These included a mine hunting sonar and two remote-controlled mine hunting drone PAP 104, and the high-precision navigation system SYLEDIS equipped. The Class 331 tasks were taken over by their decommissioning by the boats of Kulmbach Class (Class 333).

In 1989 the remaining six boats were equipped with the TROIKA system for directing hollow rod boats of the type "Seal" and then referred to as class 351. TROIKA PLUS system employs up to four remote controlled ''Seehund'' ("Seal+") drone+s which perform the sweep. The drones are small unmanned boats that can simulate the acoustic and magnetic signatures of bigger ships to trigger mines. Their small size and special construction let them survive the effects of exploding mines+ unharmed. ''Seehund'' can be controlled remotely or manually by an onboard crew (usually 3) for maneuvering in harbours or in training (the Seehund is too large to be carried by ''Ensdorf'' class vessels). A life raft is carried for this reason. The Seehunde ROVs were taken from the six decommissioned Type 351 class, which means that they are older than their motherships.

The boats of the class 351 were replaced by boats of the Ensdorf class. The ships were not decommissioned for their rebuilding to Type 352.

Since minesweepers to produce the smallest possible magnetic field, they were built of wood. Above the waterline, 3 coats with intermediate isolation were glued together. The first and third layers of mahogany were aligned parallel to the keel, the middle layer of teak diagonally. Below the waterline a fourth layer of oak was still attached. The bulkhead framework consisted of 118 transverse, longitudinal 2 and 20 Konstruktionsspanten wooden frame spacing 0.38 m. For up-and internals amagnetic material was mainly installed.

The drive consisted of two Mercedes -Maybach MD 871 16 -cylinder V-engine with 2,000 horsepower that drove two three -bladed Escher Wyss controllable pitch propellers.

In the minesweepers three MWM, 3-cylinder diesel were (type 518Dn / 5 ) fitted with 220 V direct current generators and two MD 441 with 900 hp ( Räumdiesel ). Four of them were at the E-Werk, the fifth ( 1MWM 3-cylinder diesel ) in the engine room. The converted to mine hunting boats of the class 331A units, which had two additional Schottelpropeller, two e- diesel were removed and a Maybach built V -8 engine rated at 900 hp for the Schottel drive. In the 331B class was omitted later on Schottelpropeller.

The boats were given the names of German cities. Throughout their period of service they were stationed in the North Sea. As a coastal minesweeper they belonged to the 4th Minesweeping Squadron (4th MSG) with home port of Wilhelmshaven and 6th Minesweeping Squadron (6th MSG) and 8th Minesweeping Squadron ( 8 MSG) in Cuxhaven.

After their conversion, the mine hunting boats the fourth MSG, the hollow rod steering boats formed the 6th MSG. Both squadrons were merged late 1970s and early 1980s a number of years for Mine Countermeasure Squadron North Sea, were stationed in Wilhelmshaven. Following withdrawal of the first MJ- boats the fourth MSG was disbanded and the remaining mine hunters were in their final years under the German flag also the 6th MSG.

Estonia took over two of the boats in Class 331B with the complete mine hunting equipment including PAP104 drones and they also operate as mine hunters. The Lindau was sold to Estonia, where it served as M312 Sulev. Estonia recommissioned the former Cuxhaven and Lindau as the Wambola and Sulev, respectively, on 2 September 2000. They were stationed in Tallinn.

Georgia took a boat Class 331B, the former Minden, and had it converted to a patrol boat for the Coast Guard, including a search radar Atlas Elektronik TRS of type (I- band ) in Germany. She was commissioned on 15 November 1998 as Ayety (P 22) in service. On August 13, 2008, while the Caucasus conflict, the ship was towed to the military part of the port of Poti and sunk there by Russian soldiers by blowing it up.

Latvia took over the same as Estonia, two boats of Class 331B with the complete mine hunting equipment including PAP104 drones. Latvia had a Type 331B transferred in 1999. Latvia operate this boat, the former Völklingen. She was stationed as Nemejs (M 03) in Libau ( Liepaja ) and has since been decommissioned. The Göttingen was also acquired, but merely served as a source of spare parts.

The Lithuanian Navy took over as the Baltic neighbors two boats with the complete mine hunting equipment including PAP104 drones and operates also as mine hunters. The Marburg was transferred to Lithuania as the Kursis in November 2000. They are stationed in Memel ( Klaipeda ).

South Africa took over six boats of the class 351 which were referred to as the City class. The last of Germany's 1950s-era Lindau-series mine countermeasures ships were retired during 2000. Six of the Type 351 drone-control conversion variants have been sold to South Africa and departed German waters on board a cargo barge on 15 January 2001. The German Navy did not wish to sell any of its Troika-class mine countermeasures drones, and the Type 351s have no onboard mine disposal equipment.

The contract to purchase the boats was closed on 10 November 2000. Four boats were part of the fleet, two of which belonged only to the reserve fleet. The home port was Simon's Town. The former Ulm and Konstanz served as a source of spare parts. The latter came during an exercise Red Lion on November 1, 2007 as a practice target for frigates for use and Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles was sunk by.

The whereabouts of Tübingen is uncertain: it was sold in 1997 to an Italian private owner, who rebuilt it to a motor yacht. The ship's clock passed through the donation of Erich Stahn from Schwebheim in the possession of the Tübingen city museum. From the intensively managed Tübingen sponsorship still generates a model of Tübingen in Tübingen cultivation of the town hall on the first floor.