NMS Constanta
Navy Days at Constanta. In background: the depot ship NMS Constanta.
Depot ship NMS CONSTANTA in early war camouflage scheme (polygonal shapes of white, light gray, dark gray and black).
Loading a torpedo aboard of CONSTANTA.
NMS Constanta
Built during 1927-28 at Guarnaro shipyard of Fiume, under the surveilance of a Romanian naval technical committee, the submarine depot ship CONSTANTA was launched forth on 3 November 1928. On 11 May 1931 an undersized crew operated aboard the ship and on 8 June 1931 the flag was erected during a ceremony in which the entire Romanian personnel at Fiume attended.

CONSTANTA had a displacement of 1,609 tons, two Diesel power plants - developing a speed of 13 knots, and was armed with two 102mm Bofors naval AA guns and two 40mm AA machine-guns.

As the construction of submarine DELFINUL was behind schedule, on 15 June 1931 CONSTANTA left Fiume harbor, arriving to Constanta on 20 June 1931. On 5 October 1935 she conveyed the crew of the submarine to Fiume. Given the fact that DELFINUL was not completed yet, she returned to Romania. On 7 February 1936, CONSTANTA traveled to Fiume for the last time in order to escort submarine DELFINUL to Constanta.

As depot ship, CONSTANTA accompanied DELFINUL to Istanbul on December 1936 and June 1937 for mooring. In August 1938, at Constanta harbor was built a floating dock big enough to accommodate the couple CONSTANTA-DELFINUL permanently. CONSTANTA was stationed at mooring zero, where a torpedo workshop was also set up.

Since June 1940, CONSTANTA became part of the "Submarines and MTBs Group", together with submarine DELFINUL and MTBs VISCOLUL, VIJELIA and VIFORUL.

In spring 1941, the two modern 102mm Bofors guns of CONSTANTA were given to minelayer AMIRAL MURGESCU, CONSTANTA receiving two 76mm Vickers AA guns from the destroyers instead. The two older 40mm AA guns were previously replaced by two 20mm Oerlikon and two quad Hotchkiss machineguns.

Between 13 and 18 June 1941, CONSTANTA was part of the support task force of the mining operations near the coast of Constanta.

One of the 76mm AA guns of CONSTANTA shot down an enemy aircraft on 3 August 1941.

During May and June 1942, CONSTANTA took part in landing exercises and maneuvers together with the ships MURGESCU and DACIA.

In summer 1944 CONSTANTA was mounted an anti-magnetic belt, to safely exit the harbor during the dispersals caused by aerial bombardments.

As the units of Soviet Black Sea Fleet fleet arrived to Constanta on 30 August 1944, on 5 September 1944 CONSTANTA was seized by the Soviets together with the other Romanian ships.

Specifications
Displacement1609t
Length78m
Width11m
Draft4m
Guns2 x 76mm
2 x 20mm
2 x 2 x 13.2mm

Sources:
Modelism 4/1999 (67)
Marina română în al II-lea război mondial, Koslinski N., Stănescu R., Bucureşti, 1996
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User Comments Add Comment
Stefan Hagiu  (21 April 2005)
Pe aceasta nava si-a inceput serviciul militar in marina Rominiei Regale bunelul meu: Ion Neculae Agiu, care a devenit mai apoi medic pe submarinul Delfinul. La Fiumi a plecat pe aceasta nava insa s-a intors medic pe submarin.