back to Sea Transportation

The only post-WWI destroyers available to the Turks are the Italian-built Tepe-class: TCG Adatepe, TCG Kocatepe, TCG Tinaztepe and TCG Zafer, which were delivered and commissioned in 1931. The battlecruiser and flagship (until 1950!) TCG Yavuz (ex-SMS Goeben), cruiser TCG Hamidiye and light cruiser TCG Peyk are the only other worthwhile fighting ships in the Turkish navy (besides submarines). Half a dozen old (pre-1910) destroyers and sloops are on strength but not in operational condition.

Lots of German advisers in the Turkish navy at this period, especially in their submarine service -- practically entirely paid for by Germany as a training ground for U-boat crews. Lots of Italian influence also -- Italy offered up to 70% subsidies to Turkey in the 1920s for using Italian shipyards. Turkey has poor relations with France in this period, mostly concerning repayment of the debts of the Ottoman Empire. The Greeks were ordering destroyers from Italy also, to match the Turkish expansion! Greece, Turkey and the Soviet Union negotiated a "naval holiday" in 1930, set to expire in 1934; the four destroyers ordered by Turkey were delivered just before the holiday went into effect. "Until Mussolini's speech on the future Italian expansion into Asia and Africa in 1934, Turkey adhered to naval holiday with Greece and the Soviets."

Submarines, minefields, and aircraft are where the money is spent in Turkey, not on the surface navy; coastal defense is seen as the key. In fact, just after WWI the Turkish military seriously considered abolishing the navy entirely, on grounds of excessive cost and political unreliability.

Length 325', beam 30', displacement 1309 tons

Speed: 32 kts from two oil-fired steam turbines; cruise 4000 nautical miles at 10 kts.

Armament: four x 105mm guns in single wrap-around shields; four x Oerlikon 20mm AA; two triple-tube torpedo launchers. No ASW equipment that I know of.

Crew: 104 - 135