Scale: 1:50. The model depicts six of the 33 destroyers completed by Germany in 1915. All six were built by F. Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel. They had 25,000 horsepower turbines linked to staggered twin contra-rotating screws, which gave them a speed of between 33 and 36 knots.

Most pre-war German destroyers, designed to operate in heavy weather, had a well between the forecastle and bridge allowing heavy seas to fall away before reaching the chart house. Only in the latter years of the war did the German Navy entirely adopt the form tried in ‘G37’, with no break between the forecastle and bridge.

All six vessels were at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and survived. ‘G37’ was mined the following year, off Walchern. ‘G38’, ‘G39’ and ‘G40’ were scuttled at Scapa Flow, in 1919, and were raised for scrapping during the years 1926-28. ‘G41’ was blown up as the Germans evacuated Bruges in 1918 while ‘G42’ was rammed and sunk by HMS ‘Broke’, near the Goodwin Sands, in 1917.

The model is impressive in size and decoration; painted entirely black above the waterline, it illustrates well the speed and menacing nature of the depicted subject. The gold fittings look very effective against the black paintwork. This model was transferred to the Museum from the Naval War Trophies Committee in the mid-1940s.