S130 was a particularly successful example of the schnellboot. Commissioned on October 21st 1943, she was part of the 9th S-Boot flotilla that, in March 1944, found and attacked the American invasion force in Lyme Bay during Operation Tiger, a training exercise for the D-Day landings at Slapton Sands and, as a consequence of the action, became a catalyst that accounted for some 740+ American lives.

After the war she, or rather he as the Germans have it, was taken by the Royal Navy and eventually found a new career in covert operations undertaking intelligence missions in the Baltic during the Cold War, in the guise of a fisheries patrol vessel. She ultimately found herself returning to the German flag when she was handed back to the Kriegsmarine for use as a training vessel until decommissioning in 1991. Her full story can be found at http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boats/S130/.

S130 is now part of the Wheatcroft Collection and Roving Commissions will be restoring the vessel to her original WW2 German specification, including engines and armaments, and the process can be followed on this site as the work progresses.

Visit our Restoration Gallery to view pictures of the project's progress.