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Can anyone tell me what happened to the Royal Yugoslav Navy's rescue/salvage ship SPASILAC between 1939 and 1945?
Also, I know that she was built at Kiel in 1929, but who was the builder?

[later]
Found more now - built Howaldtswerke, Kiel - but need date launched and Yard No

4/1941 seized by Italy and in naval service as INSTANCABILE. - but what happened to her in 9/1943?

Hi,

from Freivogel / Rastelli: Adriatic Naval War 1940-1945.

SPASILAC, ital. INSTACIBILE, restituted to Yugoslavia on 22.03.1945.
SPALCIC was damaged by italian air attack in Sibenik or probably Split on 9th or 10th of April, 1941.


Regards

Darius

It was active in the Aegean. Eg in March 1943 it was sighted by submarine Katsonis at long distance entering Milos together with other two tugs.If I find anything more I will post.

SPASILAC (PS 11) Built in Howaldtswerke, Hamburg, Launched in 1929
In 1940 was salvaging sunk destroyer LJUBLJANA.
6 IV 1941 damaged in Split by 2 Italian planes.
Captured by Italian Navy and renamed INSTANCABILE.
In May 1942 she was used a a tug for steamer SPARTA (Tripoli to Palermo).
In September 1943 escaped with other vessels to Allied side and was not captured by Germans.
Returned to Yugoslavia at Bari on 23 III 1945.
Stricken on 24 VIII 1977

Some photos:
http://www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?topic=7889.0


Hope that helps!
Andrzej

Thanks all - and for the Paluba website link - and it is all coming together now.

Question: Are you sure about a Hamburg build? Howaldtswerke did not have a shipyard there until they took over the Deschimag ex-Vulkan yard in 1930, but SPASILAC was launched in 1929 (date?) and completed 4/1930. Or was she ordered from Deschimag?

Hello, I think SPASILAC was built in Hamburg. In 1929, Howaldtswerke Kiel took over the facilities of the shipyards and machine factory Janssen & Schmilinsky. They also purchased the the Vulcan shipyard in Hamburg from Deschimag in 1930. I have this ship built 1929 as yard# 681 by Howaldt, Hamburg. Best regards, Kris.

Thanks Kriss - Andreas von Mach also comes with what looks like the right answer - something like:

* ordered by Yugoslavia from Howaldtswerke Kiel
* hull (at least) subcontracted to Janssen & Schmilinsky, Hamburg (Yd 681) [or was this a transfer by HW after 1/1/1929?]
* J&S bankrupt 1928 and yard taken over by HW 1/1/1929 (who continued to call themselves "Howaldtswerke Kiel"); they launched the ship in 4/9/1929 and delivered her a few months into 1930

According to Platon's book, in mid April 1943, the Instancabile was busy, together with the tug Tennax , in salvaging the oiler Marie Maersk which had been sunk in Piraeus in April 1941. It was during that period (1 April 1943) that Instancabile detected by Katsonis entering Milos bay together with the tugs Tennax and Aghios Georgios probably for another salvage.

Maybe some data is in Z.F. book "Warships of the Royal Yugoslav Navy 1918-1945":
https://despot-infinitus.com/en/product ... 1918-1945/

Regards

Darius