I've been catching up on my WW2 reading. This time about the Deutschland class cruisers. Amazingly a chap at work had not heard of the River Plate encounter. The film must have been shown on TV hundreds of times.
Anyway, something I didn't know - the power plant(s) were 9 cylinder double acting two stroke diesels. Four of them producing 56,000 shaft HP - via two Vulcan reduction gearboxes. (28.5 knots). The benefits over steam turbines were a much greater range, and the ability to attain maximum speed much quicker than with a turbine.
Amazing technology for the 1930's.
The whole story of the development of this class (of three) is fascinating. And how in the early stages of WW2, the crew were taken off enemy ships, before either requisitioning, or where the engines had been sabotaged (as per instructions), sinking an empty ship.
After the battle, where he inflicted huge damage on the three British cruisers, British intelligence misled the Captain into believing that he faced insurmountable odds, which is why he blew his ship up, then shot himself in the head the following day after making sure his crew were safe.
Interesting stuff Dave , I wonder what would have happened if the G. Spee had called our bluff and took on those cruisers ? The German equipment always seems shiny new, very efficient , faster and the latest gear ! Somewhat similar to today I feel ?
