Together with the light cruisers Nürnberg and Köln and the torpedo boats Iltis, Leopard and Wolf, the Seeadler escorts the returning destroyers Karl Galster, Herman Künne, Hans Lüdemann and Wilhelm Heidkamp after a mine laying operation against the Themse estuary.
Design and service
The story of Seeadler
Seeadler was part of the 5th Torpedoboot Flotilla at the outbreak of the war and took part in the Westwall minelaying operations until 24 September 1939. She then escorted light cruisers sent to meet destroyers returning from minelaying operations in British coastal waters. After serving in Operation "Weserübung" in April 1940, Seeadler transferred to France for defensive minelaying operations between September 1940 and spring 1941, followed by repairs in Rotterdam.
After operations in the Baltic Sea and off Jutland, Seeadler took part in Operation "Cerberus" in February 1942. While escorting the auxiliary cruiser Stier (Schiff 23), she was torpedoed by the British motor torpedo boat MTB 219 on 13 May 1942 and sank at 50°48′N, 1°32′E.
The wreck lies at a depth of about 60 meters and is broken into two sections separated by roughly 100 meters. The bow rests on its port side while the stern remains upright.
Operational history
Service timeline
Together with the light cruisers Nürnberg and Leipzig and the torpedo boats Leopard and Iltis, the Seeadler escorts the returning destroyers Bernd von Arnim, Herman Künne and Wilhelm Heidkamp after a mine laying operation against the Themse estuary.
Together with the light cruiser Nürnberg and the torpedo boats Iltis, Wolf and Leopard, the Seeadler escorts the returning destroyers Erich Steinbrinck, Hans Lody and Friedrich Eckold after a mine laying operation against the Humber estuary.
Merchant warfare near Jutland together with Panzerschiff Lützow, the cruisers Köln and Leipzig and the torpedo boats Leopard and Iltis.
Merchant warfare near Jutland together with Panzerschiff Lützow, the cruisers Köln and Leipzig and the torpedo boats Leopard, Wolf and Iltis.
Jaguar and Seeadler capture six merchant ships near Jutland.
Together with the torpedo boat Luchs, the Seeadle r escorts the auxiliary cruiser Orion through the North Sea.
Operation Weserübung: Seeadler joins the torpedo boats Luchs and Greif in the Kristiansand Attack Group.
Together with the torpedo boats Möwe and Greif, the Seeadler escorts the mine layer Hansestadt Danzig and Kaiser laying the "Paternoster" mine field in the Kattegatt. Over 500 mines are thrown.
Seeadler, Iltis, T1, T2 and T3 escort the mine layers Brummer, Skagerak and Stralsund to Le Havre.
Mine laying operation at Dover together with the torpedo boats Greif, Falke, and Kondor.
Operation of the 5. Torpedo boat flotilla against the Isle of Wright.
Operation of the 5. Torpedo boat flotilla against the Isle of Wright. The French submarine hunters Ch6 and Ch7 and the British armed trawlers Listrac and Warwick Deeping are sunk.
Operation against the Bristol Channel together with the destroyers Friedrich Ihn, Erick Steinbrinck, Hans Lody, Karl Galster and the torpedo boats Falke, Greif, Jaguar, Kondor and Wolf. Short engangement with British cruisers and destroyers.
Mine laying operation of Greif, Falke, Kondor and Seeadler near Dover.
The torpedo boats Falke, Greif and Seeadler cover the mine laying operation for the mine field "SW a WAGNER" in the North Sea.. The mine layers Corba, Roland, Kaiser and Skagerak carry a total of 982 mines, the torpedo boats Iltis and Jaguar 400 explosive buoys.
The torpedo boats Falke, Greif, Seeadler, T1, T7, T9, T10 and T12 escort the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during their attempt to break into the North Atlantic. The operation is aborted.
Greif and Seeadler escort the blockade runner Alstertor from Cuxhaven to Brest.
Mine laying operation of the destroyer Richard Beitzen, the torpedo boats Iltis and Seeadler and the mine layers Corba, Kaiser and Roland at the British South East Coast.
Transfer of the destroyer Richard Beitzen and the torpedo boats Iltis, Kondor and Seeadler to Brest.
The heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper is escorted by the destroyer Richard Beitzen and the torpedo boats Kondor and Seeadler while leaving Brest.
The heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper is escorted by the destroyer Richard Beitzen and the torpedo boats Kondor and Seeadler while returning to Brest.
The torpedo boats Greif, Falke, Jaguar and Seeadler are sent to Denmark.
Greif, Falke, Jaguar and Seeadler escort the light cruiser Nürnberg to Horten. On their way back, they escort the light cruisers Emden and Leipzig to Frederikshavn.
Escorted by the torpedo boats Iltis and Seeadler, the Richard Beitzen is sent back to Germany.
Operation "Cerberus": On board of Z29, the "Füher der Zerstöer" and the destroyers Richard Beitzen, Paul Jakobi, Hermann Schoemann, Friedrich Ihn, Z25 and the torpedo boats T2, T4, T4, T11, T12, T13, T15, T16, T17 Seeadler, Kondor, Jaguar, Falke and iescort the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen through the Channel from Brest ot Germany.
Falke, Iltis, Jaguar, Kondor, Seeadler and several mine hunters escort the voyage of the auxiliary cruiser Michel thourh the Channel to La Pallice. The ships are attacked by the British destroyers Windsor and Walpole, the escort vessel Ferne and several MTB/MGB.
Operation of the torpedo boats Falke, Iltis, Jaguar, Kondor and Seeadler against British small attack boats. Two of them (MGB 314 and MTB 74) are sunk or captured.
The 5th T-flotilla consisting of Falke, Iltis, Kondor and Seeadler sail from Brest to the Hoek van Holland to escort the auxiliary cruiser Stier.
On its way through the channel, the auxiliay cruiser Stier, covered by Falke, Iltis, Kondor and Seeadler, the ships are attacked by British forces. Near Cape Griz Niez, Seeadler sinks the British MTB 200. On the 13., Seeadler is sunk by other British MTB.
At a glance
Technical profile
Dimensions, armament, protection and performance.
Dimensions
- Size (Max)
- 1290 t
- Length (Total)
- 87,70 m
- Length (Waterline)
- 85,70 m
- Beam
- 8,43 m
- Draft
- 3,65 m
- Crew
- 120-129
Armament
- 10,5 cm L/45 C/32
- 3
- 2 cm Flak L/65 C/39
- 2 (7 since 1942)
- 53,3 cm Torpedo Tubes
- 6 (since 1931)
- 50 cm Torpedo Tubes
- 6 (unitl 1931)
- Mines
- 30
Machinery
- Shafts
- 2
- Turbines
- 2
- Type
- Blohm & Voß geared Tubrines
Performance
- Total Performance
- 24829shp
- Speed
- 33,6 kn
- Range
- 1800 sm at 17 kn
The archive
Photographs
Original postcard and photographic material from the private collection.

The archive
Models
Ship models in 1/1250 scale.

Construction record
Seeadler
- Laid down
- Reichsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven, 05.10.1925
- Launched
- 15.07.1926
- Commissioned
- 01.05.1927
- Fate
- sunk 13.05.1942
