Z32 Destroyer Narvik

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On 28 June 1939, orders for nine destroyers (Z31–Z39) of the new Type 1938B class were placed, with a further three destroyers of the class being ordered in July.^] The Type 1938B were relatively small destroyers compared with the preceding Type 1936 and 1936A ships, to be armed with four 127mm (5 in) guns in two twin turrets, and designed for long range. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, however, orders for the Type 1938B destroyers were cancelled, with a reversion to a slightly modified version of the previous Type 1936A class, the Type 1936A (Mob) class.

 Four destroyers (Z31–Z34) were re-ordered from the Deschimag consortium to be built at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen on that day, with a further three ships (Z37–Z39) ordered from the Germaniawerft yard. Z32 was laid down on 1 November 1940 (with the yard number 1002 ), launched on 15 August 1941 and commissioned on 15 September 1942. 

Z32 was 127.0 metres (416 ft 8 in) long overall and 121.9 metres (399 ft 11 in) at the waterline, with a beam of 12.0 metres (39.4 ft) and a draught of 3.92–4.62 metres (12 ft 10 in–15 ft 2 in) depending on displacement. Displacement was 2,645 tonnes (2,603 long tons) standard and 3,655 tonnes (3,597 long tons) full load. The ship's machinery consisted of six Wagner boilers feeding high-pressure superheated steam (at 70 atm (1,029 psi; 7,093 kPa) and 450 °C (842 °F)) to 2 sets of Wagner geared steam turbines. Rated power was 70,000 shaft horsepower (52,000 kW), giving a speed of 38.5 knots (71.3 km/h; 44.3 mph). Range was 2,239 nautical miles (4,147 km; 2,577 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).^[  The ship had a complement of 321 officers and ratings. 

Z32's main armament was five 15 cm (5.9in) TbtsK C/36 naval guns, with one twin turret forward and three single mounts aft. Z32 was the first ship of the class to complete with the armament as development of the twin turret had been slow. The forward gun was replaced by the intended twin turret in 1944, Anti-aircraft armament consisted of 2 twin 3.7 cm SK C/30 anti-aircraft guns (later replaced by automatic Flak M42 guns) and nine 20 mm cannon in one quadruple and five single mounts. A second quadruple 20 mm mount was fitted forward of the ship's bridge in 1943, replacing one of the single mounts. Eight 533mm (21 in) torpedo tubes in two quadruple mounts were fitted, and up to 60 mines could be carried.