Shipbucket

I'd say that Dönitz might get a U-boat squadron named after him (like Weddigen), or perhaps even a torpedo boat squadron (as he spent several years working with them). As the Germans never gave vessels of either type official names, I wouldn't see them doing so in this case.

Sub tender still looks viable

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Sub Tender would be better for the name of other high ranking officials in the Regime. But, Donitz, being famous for leading the U-Boats into their success, would be better named after a cruiser sub, rather than the vessel that would support the cruiser sub.

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Puerto Oeste - AU - WWI-WWII

After the armistice of 1919 the exhausted parties began to shrink their fleets. Most of the prewar ships were scrapped, some ships of good condition were converted. The germans had further problems with uprisings within the navy, some ships were abandoned.
The light cruiser Cöln was on its way to the western african coast to support the troops there. When it returned to Wilhelmshaven in spring 1920 it was the first ship to set up the flag of the new formed constitutional monarchy, a new kaiser was still to be elected.
The Cöln was turned into a testbed for a new triple 6" turret, it was first installed at the a-position only. Further the coal fire boilers were replaced by oil fired boilers. The funnels were later replaced by two bigger funnels. The old 8,8cm aa were removed, as were the 50cm-torps.
As the first 6"-turret had be replaced due to a minor construction fault, the 'Cöln' made a journey from Kiel to Wilhelmshaven were she made some awesome 38 knots. No wonder, she was stripped from almost all weapons and equipped with brand new engines.
In 1937 the sign were pointing to war again. The german government was led by falcons, the flags with the swastika flooded the Reich. And enormous streams of money were led into rearmament. New ships were designed and ordered in obscure masse, older ships were brought to modern standards. One of them was the light cruiser Cöln.
The aft area was reconstructed similiar to the K-class light cruisers, but with the turrets on line. Four 8,8cm aa were installed between the funnels and 53,3cm triple torps were installed at the old positions. A 'Seetakt' radar was added and the main gun directors were replaced by new 7m with enhanced night googles. On trials in April '39 the 'Cöln' made a journey through the channel to Brest. In july '39 she made a trip to Danzig until the outbreak of war. In august '39 she met the polish destroyer Błyskawica at the Baltic Sea and was able to sink it. Later the day she lost her bow to a mine the Błyskawica had layed shortly before her end.
The 'Cöln' made it back to Danzig were she was layed up until 1943. Her fate at the invasion in 1946 will follow with a new drawing.

Thanks to WhyMe for the original Cöln.

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This is not a good idea Ashley. ORP Błyskawica before war start has retreat to England alongside ORP Grom and ORP Burza. And I don't think that captain of german light cruiser would risk confrontation with three modern and well armed destroyers. In that time only two "large" polish ships can fight against germans, ORP Wicher and ORP Gryf. I think ORP Wicher is better choice.

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Neat drawing!

-Matt

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MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

Thanks for your advice, from your point of view you are absolutely right. I'm well informed 'bout the historic courses of the three destroyers. But please remember, this is AU. In alternate histories the things follow other pathes than in reality. So Cöln met only one destroyer. And that one was sunk.

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I can't wait to read the official history of this AU...looking forward to finding out what happened to the 'Big Four' especially!

-Matt

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The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

The 'Cöln' was layed up until 1943. A new bow, the old 'Seetakt' radar replaced by 'Freya', new optical aa directors, the single 8,8cm aa replaced by two 10,5cm twin turrets, 12 2cm singles installed plus two 2cm quads on the main turrets.
Her first journey after the refit took her immediatly to Kiel where she was sent to a restricted dockyard. Here she was equipped was the new 'Hoedr' radar jamming systems. It contains three main emitter for all known used british radar bands. An additional generator room was installed behind the fore funnel to service the system with power. Trials with recreated british devices showed the system working.
With the invasion the 'Cöln' and two equally equipped ships took positions around Southampton and from 0400 on the home chain was blinded. The invasion fleet came in within one hour and the beginning of the end had started.
The 'Cöln' saw further action all around the North Sea and shielded the 1948 trip to Halifax. Due to change in canadian politics the attack was needless but the OKM wasn't able to contact the fleet. A hastily sent off aircraft came some hourse to late, the harbor was blocked by sunk ships and the dockyards were burning ruins. Despite german help after the desaster the canadians never forgot the ambush and gave hiding to many british ships.
The old cruiser 'Cöln' was decomissioned in 1954 and immediatly stripped of from all advanced technology. She was sold to Estonia and scrapped until 1956.

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The second ship of the Cöln-class was the 'Dresden'. Commissioned in aug. 1918 she served was no record until the end off the big war in 1919. She was mothballed then until 1937 and turned into an aa-cruiser.

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