MFP tank landing ship serie C (Germany)

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D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen
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Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:46 pm

MFP tank landing ship serie C (Germany)

Post by D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen » Mon Jun 20, 2016 7:14 pm

(Marinefährprahm = MFP) built on various yards in Germany.
Displacement:155/220 tons, L:47,04m. B:6,53m. D:4,70m. Draft:1,45m. max., 3 Deutz diesels:390 hp. 10,5 kn. capacity:85 tons, bunkers:4,1 tons fuel, range:640 nm/10 kn., 1340 nm/7 kn. complement:17, armament:2-20 mm. Flak.

In the western part of the Veerse meer, formerly part of an estuary open to the North Sea, the shipwreck of a German landingcraft can be found. This vessel, named MFP 920 DM, is a so called “Marinefahrprame” specially developed to take part in operation Sealion, the intended invasion of Great Britain by the Germans. This particular MFP was specially equipped to lay mines to disrupt the shipping traffic. In the evening of May 29th, 1944 at 21.47 hrs, while on a mission with two other vessels, the MFP strucks one of her own last positioned mines in position X11. Two crew members get injured. During the collision 17 mines fell overboard. The captain beaches the landing craft to avoid sinking. After inspection by a local shipyard (De Schelde in Flushing) the bow section is cut-off and a temporary bulkhead made of timber and concrete is erected in order to salvage the vessel and tow it to the shipyard. Also all the ammunition is removed from the wreck. On June 12th, 1944, at the beginning of the towing voyage the MFP capsizes and sinks. Now (2012) almost 70 years later, the vessel is still there, upside down and waiting for what the future will bring to her………. Local authorities have taken the decision to remove the wreck as illegal diving activities continue and the fact that they fear that there still might be ammunition on board. The WDSR regrets this decision, with little effort this wreck can remain where it is and add a nice diving location to Zeeland, an area heavily depending on tourism.

(Somaliland 2011, 1500 a. StG.?)
Internet.
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German-Navy-Kriegsmarine-MFP-Series-C-Tank-Landing-Barge.jpg
MFP D
MFP D
MFP 1.jpg (5.85 KiB) Viewed 2206 times

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