After the design of a new MAN diesel engine, plans ware made to build a single destroyer Prototype called Zerstörer 1942.

Its basic concept in armament and size was very similar to the Zerstörer 1938B, but the propulsion system was unique.  The ships should have been powered by six  diesel engines and equipped with three shafts (the other German destroyers only had two shafts). To increase the production time it was planed to install only four of the engines initially and refit the other two later.

The ship (Z 51) was ordered in 1942 laid down in 1943 at the Deschimag Shipyard in Bremen and launched on 02.10.1944. The uncompleted vessel was badly damaged by bomb hits on 21.03.1945 and broken down between December 1947 and February 1949.

One of the four engines build is now on display in the "Auto und Technik" Museum in Sinzheim, Germany.