Z-class torpedo boat facts for kids

The Z-class torpedo boats were a group of twelve fast warships. They served in the navies of the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom. These ships were designed to be quick and carry torpedoes. Torpedoes are underwater weapons that can sink enemy ships.

The Royal Netherlands Navy first ordered eight of these Z-class boats before World War I began. Four were to be built in Germany (named Z 1 to Z 4). The other four (Z 5 to Z 8) were to be built in the Netherlands.

When World War I started, Germany took over the four boats being built in their country for their own navy. Because of this, the Dutch Navy ordered four more Z-class ships to be built in the Netherlands. These ships were active in both World War I and World War II. One German ship was lost in World War I. During World War II, one Polish and one Dutch ship sank. Another Polish torpedo boat sank in peacetime due to a boiler explosion.

Z-class torpedoboot Z 5
Quick facts for kids Class overview
Builders:	Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NSM) Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde AG Vulcan Stettin Fijenoord
Operators:	Royal Netherlands Navy  Imperial German Navy  Polish Navy  Royal Navy
Subclasses:	V105 Z 5 Z 1
Built:	1914-1920
In commission:	1915-1945
Planned:	8
Completed:	12
Lost:	4
Retired:	8
General characteristics V105 class
Type	Torpedo boat
Displacement	340 tonnes (330 long tons) (standard) 421 tonnes (414 long tons) (full)
Length	62.60 m (205 ft 5 in)
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Draft	2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 × Yarrow steam boilers 2 × AEG Vulcan steam turbines 5,500 hp (4,100 kW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range	1,400 nmi (2,600 km; 1,600 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) 640 nautical miles (1,190 km; 740 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	104
Armament	2 × 88 mm (3.5 in) guns 2 × 45 cm (18 in) torpedo launchers
General characteristics Z 5 class
Type	Torpedo boat
Displacement	263 tonnes (259 long tons) (standard)
Length	58.5 m (191 ft 11 in)
Beam	6.06 m (19 ft 11 in)
Draft	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	3 × cylindrical boilers 2 × triple expansion engines 5,500 hp (4,100 kW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range	425 nmi (787 km; 489 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	48
Armament	2 × 75 mm (3.0 in) No. 4 guns 2 × 0.5 in (13 mm) guns 4 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes
General characteristics Z 1 class
Type	Torpedo boat
Displacement	277 tonnes (273 long tons) (standard)
Length	61.32 m (201 ft 2 in)
Beam	6.31 m (20 ft 8 in)
Draft	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	3 × Water-tube boilers 2 × AEG Vulcan steam turbines 5,500 hp (4,100 kW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range	425 nmi (787 km; 489 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	48
Armament	2 × 75 mm (3.0 in) No. 4 guns 2 × 0.5 in (13 mm) guns 4 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes

Z-Class Torpedo Boats: A Closer Look

This section tells you about each of the Z-class torpedo boats. You'll learn when they were built, who built them, and what happened to them.

V105 Class: German-Built Ships

These four ships were originally ordered by the Netherlands but were taken by Germany during World War I.

Z-class torpedo boats

Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Builder	Fate
V105 class
V105  Imperial German Navy Mazur  Polish Navy	1914	26 August 1914	23 March 1915	AG Vulcan Stettin	This ship served in the German Navy during World War I. After the war, it was sold to Poland and renamed Mazur. It sank on September 1, 1939, after being attacked by German aircraft. This made it one of the first ships to sink when Germany invaded Poland at the start of World War II.
V106  Imperial German Navy	1914	26 August 1914	25 January 1915	AG Vulcan Stettin	V106 served in the German Navy during World War I. It was supposed to go to Brazil after the war, but it was taken apart for scrap metal in Britain in 1920.
V107  Imperial German Navy	1914	12 December 1914	1915	AG Vulcan Stettin	This ship sank on May 8, 1915, after hitting an underwater mine.
V108  Imperial German Navy Kaszub  Polish Navy	1914	12 December 1914	1915	AG Vulcan Stettin	V108 served in the German Navy during World War I. After the war, it was given to Poland and renamed Kaszub. It sank on July 20, 1925, because of a boiler explosion.

Z 5 Class: Dutch-Built Ships

These four ships were built in the Netherlands and served the Dutch Navy. Some later served the British Navy.

Z-class torpedo boats

Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Builder	Fate
Z 5 class
Z 5  Royal Netherlands Navy Blade  Royal Navy	18 February 1914	1 April 1915	8 February 1917	Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde	When Germany invaded the Netherlands in World War II, Z 5 escaped to England. It joined the Royal Navy on March 2, 1942, as HMS Z 5. In May 1943, it was renamed HMS Blade. The ship was taken out of service on April 9, 1945, and scrapped (taken apart for materials) in October 1945.
Z 6  Royal Netherlands Navy	18 February 1914	15 April 1915	8 February 1917	Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde	Z 6 also escaped to England when Germany invaded the Netherlands in World War II. It was taken out of service on October 4, 1940, because its engines were in bad condition. The ship was sold for scrap in March 1942.
Z 7  Royal Netherlands Navy Z 7  Royal Navy	12 May 1914	10 May 1915	8 September 1916	Fijenoord	Z 7 escaped to England during World War II. It was badly damaged in December 1940 when it ran aground (hit the bottom) near Holyhead. The ship was put in a dock, but the damage was never fixed. It was taken out of service on July 16, 1942, and given to the Royal Navy on October 1, 1942. The British did not use the ship. It was taken out of service again in January 1944 and scrapped in 1947.
Z 8  Royal Netherlands Navy Z 8  Royal Navy	12 May 1914	23 June 1915	22 September 1916	Fijenoord	Z 8 also escaped to England during World War II. It was taken out of service and given to the Royal Navy on October 1, 1942. The Royal Navy took it out of service in January 1944. It was scrapped in August 1944.

Z 1 Class: Later Dutch-Built Ships

These four ships were ordered by the Netherlands after Germany took the first four.

Z-class torpedo boats

Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Builder	Fate
Z 1 class
Z 1  Royal Netherlands Navy	1914		1919	NSM	This ship was taken out of service in 1933.
Z 2  Royal Netherlands Navy	1914		1921	NSM	This ship was taken out of service in 1933.
Z 3  Royal Netherlands Navy	30 December 1915	23 March 1917	21 August 1920	NSM	Z 3 was in the IJsselmeer (a large lake in the Netherlands) when Germany invaded in World War II. To stop it from being captured, the crew rammed it into a dam and set it on fire on May 14, 1940. The ship was later pulled out of the water and scrapped in 1941.
Z 4  Royal Netherlands Navy	1914		1921	NSM	This ship was taken out of service in 1933.