HSwMS Komet

Komet in a 1899 illustration of the Swedish Navy
History
Sweden
Name
  • Komet (1896–1916)
  • Vedettbåten V20 (1916–1922)
BuilderF. Schichau, Elbing
Launched4 June 1896
Acquired12 August 1896
FateLaid up, 1922
General characteristics
TypeTorpedo boat
Displacement92 t (91 long tons)
Length39 m (127 ft 11 in)
Beam4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Draft2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Speed23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Complement18
Armament
  • 2 × 38.1 cm (15.0 in) torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 4.7 cm (1.9 in) guns

HSwMS Komet was a torpedo boat of the Swedish Navy. Launched in 1896 as part of a modernization effort, she operated off the Swedish coast. The ship was the first Swedish torpedo boat faster than 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), and served as a prototype for the eleven Blixt-class torpedo boats. Komet was redesignated in 1916 and renamed Vedettbåten V20 before she was laid up in 1922 and scrapped in 1926.

Development and design

In the late 20th century, the Swedish Navy focused on defending the country's coast and modernized after the Imperial Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet was similarly modernized.: 363  The Swedish Navy ordered a torpedo boat from the F. Schichau shipyard in Elbing, which at the time was part of the German Empire. The company had previously designed and built torpedo boats to other Nordic nations. The resulting ship, Komet, featured a length of 39 metres (127 ft 11 in), beam of 4.8 metres (15 ft 9 in), draft of 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), fully loaded displacement of 92 tonnes (91 long tons), and compliment of 18. She was propelled by one fire-tube boiler that produced steam for a three-cylinder triple expansion steam engine that output 1,056 indicated horsepower (787 kW) and turned one propeller to achieve a top speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph). The torpedo boat had a range of 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Armament consisted of two 38.1 cm (15.0 in) torpedo tubes—one mounted in the bow and the other on a trainable mount aft—along with two 4.7 cm (1.9 in) M/95 guns, one mounted aft and another on top of the conning tower.: 217 

Komet was the first Swedish torpedo boat faster than 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Her design was modified to include a second boiler and funnel to produce the eleven Blixt-class torpedo boats that were built in Sweden.: 217–8  The vessels are also considered to be one class of a dozen, known as the Komet class, with Komet serving as the lead ship and prototype.: 358 

Service history

Komet was laid down at the shipyard on 4 June 1896 and delivered on 12 August 1896.: 217  Funds for her construction was raised by The Women's Association for Sweden's Naval Defense [Sv] (Kvinnoförbundet för Sveriges Sjöförsvar),: 358  a society of women who raised money for Swedish warships and promoted the Navy.: 67 The Navy designated Komet as a 1st rate torpedo boat as she displaced more than 60 tonnes (59 long tons). As the largest type of torpedo boat, they were intended to operate off the Swedish coast and in the Swedish Archipelagos alongside 1st rate gunboats.: 205, 217  In 1901, her two guns were replaced with 3.7 cm (1.5 in) M/98B rapid fire guns. In 1916, she was redesignated as a vedettbåt [Sv] (type of patrol boat),: 358  had the torpedo tubes removed, and renamed Vedettbåten V20 with the hull number V20. She was laid up six years later and scrapped in 1926.: 217 

References

  1. ↑ Campbell, N J M (1979). "Sweden". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1860-1905. Mayflower Books. ISBN 978-0-8317-0302-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hofsten, Gustaf von; Waernberg, Jan; Ohlsson, Curt S. (2003). Örlogsfartyg: Svenska Maskindrivna Fartyg under Tretungad Flagg [Warships: Swedish Engine-Powered Ships under the Triple-Tailed Flag]. Forum Navales Skriftserie (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek. ISBN 978-91-974384-3-8.
  3. 1 2 Westerlund, Karl-Erik (1985). "Sweden". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906-1921. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8.
  4. ↑ Westerlund, Karl-Erik (1985). "Sweden". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906-1921. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8.
  5. ↑ Marinmuseum. "Kvinnoförbundet för Sveriges sjöförsvar" [Women's Association for Swedish Naval Defense]. digitaltmuseum.se. Marinmuseum. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. ↑ Annual Report of the Fifth Quinquennial Period. International Council of Women. 1910.