AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN DESTROYERS The following list contains all Austro-Hungarian DESTROYERS which were in commission during the Great War. (Compiled by András Veperdi) ABBREVIATIONS Arsenal: Naval Shipyard, Pola Arsenal Lloyd: Austrian Lloyd Shipyard, Trieste CNT: Naval Docks Trieste, Monfalcone CNT Pola: In the year of 1916 the CNT was evacuated from Monfalcone to Pola, where the submarine building was continued. Da Bud: Ganz and Danubius AG, Budapest (formerly: H. Schönichen Shipyard) Da Fi: Ganz and Danubius Shipyard, Bergudi, Fiume Da PR: Ganz and Danubius Shipyard, Porto Ré (today: Krajlevica in Croatia) Lussinpiccolo: Marco U. Martinolich, Lussinpiccolo (today: Mali Losinj in Croatia) STT: Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste (Its name was Austria – Werft between the years of 1916 and 1918.) aa: anti-aircraft ihp: indicated horse power nm: nautical mile AC: alternating current IP: Intermediate Pressure oa: over all atm: atmosphere K: Austrian Crown pp: between perpendicular bhp: brake horse power kg: kilogram qf: quick firing (gun) cal: calibre km: kilometre Rpg: Rounds per guns’ barrels cl: class kts: knots rpm: revolution per minute cm: centimetre L: Barrel length in calibre sec: second constr: constructional LP: Low Pressure shp: Shaft horse power DC: direct current m: metre t: tonne(s) (metric tonne(s)) HP: High Pressure mm: millimetre wl: water line 1 The HUSZÁR class destroyers (First Group and Second Group) Details of building: Name Shipyard Laid down Launched Commissioned First Group HUSZÁR (I) Yarrow 14/09/1904 31/05/1905 04/07/1905 ULAN Stab. Tecnico 27/09/1905 08/04/1906 21/09/1906 STREITER Stab. Tecnico 30/10/1905 16/06/1906 31/12/1906 WILDFANG Stab. Tecnico 07/12/1905 29/08/1906 15/06/1907 SCHARFSHÜTZE Stab. Tecnico 12/04/1906 05/12/1906 15/09/1907 USKOKE Stab. Tecnico 01/09/1906 07/07/1907 31/12/1907 HUSZÁR (II) Arsenal-Pola 29/11/1909 20/12/1910 08/02/1911 Second Group TURUL Danubius 27/07/1907 09/08/1908 31/12/1908 PANDÚR Danubius 02/08/1907 25/10/1908 31/01/1909 CSIKÓS Danubius 21/02/1908 24/01/1909 16/11/1909 RÉKA Danubius 13/08/1908 28/04/1909 31/12/1909 VELEBIT Danubius 05/11/1908 24/07/1909 31/12/1909 DINARA Danubius 28/01/1909 16/10/1909 31/12/1909 Destroyer built for China, but confiscated by the Navy WARASDINER Stab. Tecnico 01/04/1911 03/04/1912 10/09/1914 SMS HUSZÁR (I) 2 45 cm torpedo launcher 4.7 cm L/44 quick firing gun 3 7 cm L/45 quick firing gun Cost: 1,558,136 K Displacement: 389.70 t (constr) 428.30 t (full load) Length: 67.06 m (pp) / 67.13 m (wl) / 68.39 m (oa) Beam: 6.26 m Draught: 1.78 m (constr) 2.38 m (full load) Change of Draught: 1 cm = 3.25 t Machinery: 2 four cylinder triple expansion vertical steam engines 4 Yarrow-type water tubes boilers, operating pressure: 18.6 atm 2 propellers with 3 blades, diameter: 2.06 m Bunkerage: 90.6 t coal Endurance: 500 nm at 28 kts Performance: 5,800 ihp (on 20th June 1905) Speed: 28.54 kts at 388 rpm (on 20th June 1905) Armament: 1 - 7cm/L45 Skoda gun 7 - 4.7 cm/L44 Skoda qf guns 2 - 45 cm torpedo tubes on deck in the middle line of ship 4 torpedoes Others: 1 whale-boat; 1 cutter; 1 jollyboat. 3 Admiralty-type anchors: two 413 kg; one 253 kg. Characteristics: Turtleback foredeck. 4 narrow smoke stacks. 1 mast. Complement: In 1907: 4 + 61. The complement of SMS HUSZÁR (I): 1 Lt-Commander (captain of the ship) 1 Chief Engine Room Artificer 1 Lieutenant (First Lieutenant) 2 Engine Room Artificers 2 Sub Lieutenants 1 First Engine Room Artificer’s Mate 4 Sailors (II class) 5 Second Engine Room Artificer’s Mates 5 Sailors (III class) 4 Engine Room Quartermasters 2 Engine Room Leading Sailors 4 1 Gunner’s Mate 4 Chief Stokers 6 Gunnery Sailors(I class Layer) 4 Stokers (I class) 5 Gunnery Sailors (II class Layer) 4 Stokers (II class) 1 Torpedo Gunner’s Mate 1 Leading Electrician 1 Torpedo Leading Sailor (Instructor) 2 Torpedo Gunner First Sailors (I class) 1 Painter Sailor (II class) 2 Torpedo Gunner First Sailors (II class) 1 Leading Cook 1 Steersman’s Mate 1 Steersman Leading Sailor 1 Medical Sailor (I class) 1 Steersman Sailor Career : 6 /08/1904 The contract for her building was signed. 1/10 Her building was started. 16 /04/1905 Her name was confirmed. 31/05 She was launched. 1/06 Carried out her first sea trial run and achieved 30.27 knots. 20/06 Was completed, and her speed was 28.54 knots. 4/07 She was commissioned. 10/07 Sailed from London. 15-18/07 Lisbon. 19/07 Called at Gibraltar. 21-22/07 Algier. 26/07 Put in Teodo. 28/07 Arrived at Pola, where she was decom- missioned. Her inadequate ventilating system was criticized. Her guns and torpedo tubes were mounted on. Some modifications were made. The ship’s galley was transferred to the deck. 18/09 Was commissioned first time at the Squadron. Her endurance in bad weather was re- stricted. The smoke what billowed out from her relative low smokestacks was very disturbing. In 1906 served in the Squadron. 14/03 Sailed from Teodo for a cruise in the Eastern-Mediter- ranean. 15-19/03 Corfu. 21/03 Put in Alexandria. 12-13/04 Haifa. 14-23/04 Beirut. 25-28/04 Marmarizza. 29/04 Called at Syra. 29-30/04 Zea. 30/04 – 1/05 Istmia. 2/05 Called at Galaxidi. 2-8/05 Patras. 9-11/05 Valona. 11/05 Put in Cattaro and joined Torpedo Flotilla of the Sum- mer Squadron. 3/09 One of her boilers went out of order. 18/09 She was laid up. In 1907 her boilers were replaced. In 1908 belonged to the Squadron. 15/09 She was fitted up. 3/12 Sailed from Cattaro-bay at 07.00 hours and another captain was also on board because of the coast surveying. The des- troyer passed the Cape Traste with 12 knots and then turned to a course of 163° toward Bu- dua. The weather was clear with a slight northerly breeze. The ship’s captain gave over the navigation to the duty Lieutenant, and began speak with the other officers on the bridge. At 08.10 hours the ship ran aground on Albanese Rocks. Though the ship’s state was critical, the rescue seemed possible and they have started the salvage works. The destroyer was sitting on the rocks till the after boiler room and her whole fore part was flooded. They did not lose any man. 5/12 The Gigant and other ships (3 torpedo boats and one barge) arrived there. 130 tonnes of materials were discharged from the damaged destroyer, and on 10th December the SMS SANKT GEORG tried to tow down HUSZÁR from the rocks. The towing lines have parted. They stopped the further attempts because of the raising waves. 11/12 The salvage was finally stopped because of the very bad weather. The quarterdeck of the destroyer merged under water, and the deck was bent between the fore-castle and the bridge. The SMS ERZHERZOG FRIEDRICH who was present also, lost her anchor and her stern balcony and several skylights on quarterdeck were damaged. 12/12 The HUSZÁR slipped down from the rocks and sank. The Gigant left for Traste, the SMS ERZHERZOG FRIEDRICH put in the Bay of Cattaro. One barge sank and the one other was stranded on the shore. After the gale the divers searched for the sunken ship. They have found her broken to three parts in depth of 15 m. 19/12 The salvage was continued. Till March 1909 they have raised the parts of the 5 boilers and machinery, her armament and the stern section of the ship. The hull was lost. The stranded barge was cast off. 10/04 The Command of Naval Arsenal of Pola got an order to build a new destroyer using the salvaged remnants of HUSZÁR. 7/05 The captain of HUSZÁR, Lieutenant-Commander Renner was condemned for 4 month close arrest for the act in contravention of the Standing Rules and had not controlled the navigation. He had to start his penalty on 24th June (but on 18th August the remaining part of his penalty was abol- ished). Lieutenant Bekker was condemned for 6 month arrest because of dereliction of duty and carelessness (but on 24th November he was released). SMS ULAN Later name: SMYRNI 6 Cost: 1,568,987 K Displacement: 389.41 t (constr) 413.90 t (full load) Length: 67.06 m (pp) / 67.13 m (wl) / 68.39 m (oa) Beam: 6.26 m Draught: 1.78 m (constr) 1.86 m (full load) Change of Draught: 1 cm = 3.25 t Machinery: 2 four cylinder triple expansion vertical steam engines 4 Yarrow-type water tubes boilers, operating pressure: 18.6 atm 2 propellers with 3 blades, diameter: 2.06 m Bunkerage: 90.6 t coal Endurance: 500 nm at 28 kts Performance: 6,000 ihp Speed: 28.56 kts Armament: 1 - 7cm/L45 Skoda gun 7 - 4.7 cm/L44 Skoda qf guns 2 - 45 cm torpedo tubes on deck in the middle line of ship 4 torpedoes Armament from 1913: 1 - 7 cm/L45 Skoda gun 5 - 7 cm/L30 Skoda guns 2 - 45 cm torpedo tubes on deck in the middle line of ship 1 - 8 mm aa machinegun (from March of 1915) Others: 1 whale-boat; 1 cutter; 1 jollyboat.