German destroyer Z51

Z51 was the only ship of the Type 1942 destroyer class built for the Kriegsmarine. She was the only destroyer built by the Kriegsmarine to use diesel fuel, which would have given it a longer range and readier access to refueling compared to fuel oil. The Type 1942 destroyer class went through a long period of development, including four total designs. Z51 was ordered on 25 November 1942, and launched on 2 October 1944, far before being finished, likely to clear her slipway for U-boat construction. She was left floating outside Bremen and was sunk in an air raid on 21 March 1945. Germany attempted to communicate the plans for the Type 1942 destroyer to its ally the Empire of Japan using a submarine, U-234, however Germany surrendered before the submarine reached Japan. Z51 was broken up between 1948 and 1949.

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