Warship · 1936–1946 · Orkney, United Kingdom

F2

Also known as KMS F2.

A winter storm took the F2 to the bottom of Scapa Flow on 30 December 1946, more than a year after the war she had been designed for was over; she never fired a shot there. She was a Geleiteboot, an escort boat, and one of ten experimental ships given high-pressure Brown-Boveri turbines. Those temperamental engines could push her to 28 knots, but they also earned her a name for mechanical misery.

In 1938 she was lengthened by four metres and given a new job recovering torpedoes. After her surrender to the Royal Navy in 1945, she was towed north to Scapa. Her stern rests upright in 16 to 18 metres, while the forward section lies listing on its side.

A 30-metre line joins her to the salvage barge YC21, which went down close by in 1968 during an attempt to scrap her, and a 20mm gun taken off the F2 finished up aboard the barge: a small absurdity that ties the two wrecks together.

PermitRequired
Type
WarshipGerman
Year built
1936Germaniawerft, Kiel
Lost
December 30th, 1946Storm damage — sank at moorings
Length
80 m8.8 m beam
Depth
16–18 m
Location
Orkney, United KingdomScapa Flow

2 of 6 facts above are cited in Sources below.

Deeper than 46 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.

History and LossLost December 30th, 1946 · Storm damage — sank at moorings · Orkney, United Kingdom.

Geleiteboot (escort boat), second of a class of ten. Originally 75.9m, lengthened by 4m to 80m and converted to torpedo recovery vessel at Wilhelmshaven 1938-39. Armament: 2 x 105mm deck guns, 4 x 20mm AA. 28 knots (reduced to 26 after lengthening). Complement 121.

Surrendered to Royal Navy 1945. Arrived Scapa Flow February 1946. Sank at moorings in Gutter Sound during storm 30 December 1946. Sold for scrap to Metrec Engineering 1967-68.

Built 1936 by Germaniawerft, Kiel; 10 years in service, also recorded as KMS F2. Lost December 30th, 1946, storm damage — sank at moorings.

Condition of the WreckBroken, lying stern upright, forward section on its side, in 16–18 m.

Intactness

Stern upright, forward section on its side. Sold for scrap 1967-68. Salvage barge YC21 sank nearby 15 November 1968 during a storm. F2 and YC21 connected by approximately 30m line.

A 20mm gun from F2 can be found on the barge wreckage.

Notable Features

  • 20mm gun found on nearby YC21 barge
  • Connected to YC21 salvage barge by 30m line
  • Gun and mast features
  • Anchor cable

Regulations and RestrictionsPermit required.

A permit is required to dive this site. Diving permit required from Orkney Islands Council Harbours department.

Additional Details14 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.

Nationality
German
Flag
German Empire
Builder
Germaniawerft, Kiel
Propulsion
High-pressure Brown-Boveri steam turbines — 2 shafts, 14,000 shp
Loss date
December 30th, 1946
Coordinate confidence
Approximate
Location
Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow
Water body
Scapa Flow
Restrictions
Diving permit required from Orkney Islands Council Harbours department
War grave
No
Protected
No
Permit required
Yes
Condition
Broken
Orientation
Stern upright, forward section on its side

Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.

  • Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.

A further 7 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.

Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the F2?

F2 is the wreck of a warship, off Orkney, United Kingdom, at 18 metres. F2 sank at her moorings in 1946.

How deep is the F2?

F2 lies at 16 to 18 metres, Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow.

How did the F2 sink?

F2 sank at her moorings on December 30th, 1946, off Orkney, United Kingdom.