Germany's Bismarck class battleships
Imperial War Museum, HU-39770
KMS Bismarck, as seen from the KMS Prinz Eugen, on the way to Norway on May 20, 1941:
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-69721
KMS Bismarck in Grimstadfjord, Norway:
Imperial War Museum, CS-159
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-85749
KMS Bismarck after being damaged by HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales on May 24, 1941:
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-69732
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-59671
Bismarck practicing refueling with the Prinz Eugen in May 1941:
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-69734
US Navy, 80-G-15722
KMS Bismarck in 1941:
US Naval History & Heritage Command, NH-59672
Imperial War Museum, HU-50737
KMS Tirpitz being launched on April 1, 1939:
Imperial War Museum, HU-50726
KMS Tirpitz in 1941:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-59655
KMS Tirpitz in Alta Fjord, Norway in 1943:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71390
KMS Tirpitz in Norway 1944:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71388
KMS Tirpitz in Flehke Fjord, Norway:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71402
Imperial War Museum, HU-50723
KMS Tirpitz being launched on April 1, 1939:
Imperial War Museum, HU-50731
KMS Tirpitz's 105 mm AA ammunition in 1942:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71386
KMS Tirpitz's crew being entertained in Norway in 1944:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71389
KMS Tirpitz in Aasfjord, Norway:
Imperial War Museum, C-4126
KMS Tirpitz in Foettenfjord, Norway:
Imperial War Museum, HU-50947
Imperial War Museum, HU-50722
KMS Tirpitz getting fitted out at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on February 2, 1940:
US Naval Historical Center, NH86214
KMS Tirpitz in Flehke Fjord, Norway, with sailors on deck amongst the camouflage in 1942:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71394
A crewman building a model of the KMS Tirpitz in Norway in 1944:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71391
KMS Tirpitz as seen by a Mosquito of the No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit:
Imperial War Museum, C-2356
KMS Tirpitz in Altenfjord, Norway:
Imperial War Museum, A-19625
Imperial War Museum, HU-50736
KMS Tirpitz during trials in March 1941:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-59668
KMS Tirpitz in Flehke Fjord, Norway in 1942:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71395
KMS Tirpitz in Norway in 1944:
US Naval Historical Center, NH-71318
KMS Tirpitz as seen by a Spitfire of the No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit:
Imperial War Museum, C-2355
KMS Tirpitz in Norway:
Imperial War Museum, A-22634
Design
The Bismarck class battleships were designed to stay within the 35,000 ton restrictions of the German waterways. The Bismarck was intended to be better than the Dunkerque.
The Bismarck class was designed to have 22 watertight compartments going the length of the ship. The anti-torpedo protection was a little over 20'.
The broad beam allowed for a steady gun platform in rough seas.
The twelve boilers were split amongst six spaces.
Aircraft
There were two catapults for Arado Ar 196 aircraft on the Bismarck class battleships.
Armament
The 15" SK C/34s were manufactured by Krupp. They could fire a 1,764 lb shell 38,880 yards. The turrets, alone weighed 1,047 tons.
The KMS Bismarck had no torpedo tubes, whereas the KMS Tirpitz had eight.
Ships
KMS Bismarck
- Manufacturer: Blohm & Voss at Hamburg
- February 14, 1939: Launched.
- August 1940, August 24, 1940: Completed.
- April 1941: Leaves Baltic.
- May 19, 1941: Took part in Operation Rheinübung with Prinz Eugen.
- May 21, 1941: Left Bergen with Prinz Eugen.
- May 24, 1941: Sunk HMS Hood and damaged HMS Prince of Wales.
- May 27, 1941: Sunk.
KMS Tirpitz
- Manufacturer: Wilhelmshaven Dock Yard, Wilhelmshaven Navy Yard
- April 1, 1939: Luanched.
- February 25, 1941: Completed.
- January 16, 1942: Left Wilhelmshaven for Norway.
- March 6, 1942: Left port to attack convoy PQ12 but failed to find it.
- September 6, 1943: Bombarded Spitzbergen with Scharnhorst and ten destroyers.
- September 22, 1943, September 23, 1943: Attacked by the X5, X6, and X7 midget submarines.
- August 22, 1944: Attacked by aircraft from HMS Formidable, HMS Indefatigable, and HMS Furious.
- August 24, 1944: Damaged by aircraft from HMS Formidable, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Furious, HMS Trumpeter, and HMS Nabob.
- September 15, 1944: Damaged by Lancaster bombers using Tallboy six ton bombs.
- November 12, 1944: Capsized by Lancaster bombers using Tallboy six ton bombs. 1,000 of the crew were lost.
Usage
Operation Rheinübung
With the Prinz Eugen the Bismarck left Bergen for the North Atlantic. They met up against the HMS Hood, which was destroyed, and the HMS Prince of Wales, which was damaged, in the Denmark Strait. The Prince of Wales was able to hit and damage the Bismarck.
Aircraft from the HMS Victorious and HMS Ark Royal damaged the Bismarck which caused it to slow. The HMS King George V and HMS Rodney further damaged the Bismarck. The HMS Dorsetshire fired the torpedoes that finally sand the Bismarck on May 27, 1941.
Sources:
- German Warships of World War II, J. C. Taylor, 1966
- Battleships of World War Two An International Encyclopedia, M. J. Whitley, 1998
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, Robert Gardiner, 1987
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Janes' Fighting Ships of World War II, 1989
