Type 139 patrol trawler

HMT Ailsa Craig
Class overview
Builders	G.T. Davie yard
Operators	German Navy
Built	1942 (Royal Navy)
In service	1956 – mid 1970s (Federal German Navy)
Completed	2
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Naval trawler
Displacement	545 tons
Length	164 ft (50.0 m)
Beam	27 ft 8 in (8.4 m)
Draught	11 ft 1 in (3.4 m) (mean)
Propulsion	One triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 shaft, 850 ihp (630 kW)
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	40
Armament	Various light guns for training purposes

The Type 139 patrol trawler was a class of vessel used as a training ship by the Federal German Navy. Both vessels in the class were originally built for the Royal Navy in 1942 as Isles-class naval trawlers.

History

The trawlers HMT Dochet and HMT Flint were launched in 1942 at the G.T. Davie & Sons yard in Lauzon, Quebec,^[1][2] and served in the anti-submarine warfare role to the end of World War II. Placed on the postwar disposal list, they were sold for mercantile use.

When the Federal German Navy was established in 1956, Dochet and Flint were acquired and classified as Type 139 patrol trawlers. Dochet was named Eider (A50) while Flint became Trave (A51).^[2] As operated by Germany, both ships were 54.00 metres (177 ft 2 in) long overall and 50 metres (164 ft) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 8.38 metres (27 ft 6 in) and a draught of 4.3 metres (14 ft).^[2]

Since the days of World War I, Germany had had a tradition of employing patrol trawlers. The type was classified before 1945 as a Vorpostenboot (literally, "outpost boat"). In the Federal German Navy, Eider and Trave were employed as fishery protection vessels and for training with light-caliber guns. Later they were used in radar instruction.

After two decades of service in the West German navy, Eider and Trave were discarded in the mid-1970s. Both Eider and Trave were sold for scrap.

References

• Blackman, Raymond V. B. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low Marston & Co. Ltd.
• Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J. (1973). Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.