Battleship Bismarck and Tirpitz

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Battleship Bismarck

General Details
Name of the ship		Bismarck	Tirpitz
Builder		Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	Kriegsmarine Werft, Wilhelmshaven
Builder's number		BV 509	S-128
Contract placed		16. November 1935	14. June 1936
Laid down		1. July 1936	2. November 1936
Launched		14. February 1939	1. April 1939
Commissioned		24. August 1940	25. February 1941
Disposition		Sunk in action with superior British force, 27. May 1941, at 48º 10´ north, 16º 12´ west. 2106 men lost, 115 survivors (110 captured).	Sunk in Sørbotn near Tromsø by British aircraft on 12. November 1944, at 69°36´ North and 18°59´ East. 971 men lost. 1948-1957 partially salvaged by British, Norwegian and German firms.
Displacement
Measurement (gross or net registered tons)		28.181 grt 11.110 nrt	28.160 grt

Displacement:		(August 1940)	(February 1941)
empty		39.517 tonnes	39.539 tonnes
designed		45.451 tonnes	45.474 tonnes
full		49.406 tonnes	49.429 tonnes
maximum		50.405 tonnes	50.425 tonnes (53.500 tonnes 1944)

Dimensions and Construction Details
Length Overall		250,5 m	253,6 m
Length, cwl (construction waterline)		241,55 m	241,72 m
Beam, cwl (construction waterline)		36 m	36 m
Designed draught		9,33 m	9,9 m
Maximum draught		10,2 m (at 49.406 tonnes)	10,61 m (at 52.890 tonnes)

Height of side (measured from keel top edge to upper deck)		15 m	15 m
Freeboard, amidships		5,67 m	5,67 m
Freeboard, forward		8,8 m	8,8 m
Building steel		ST 52	ST 52
Watertight compartments		XXII	XXII
Immersion per cm		+57,3 tonnes	+57,3 tonnes
Propulsion
Boilers		12 Wagner high-pressure (55 Kg/cm²) in 6 compartments	12 Wagner high-pressure (55 Kg/cm²) in 6 compartments
Temperature		475º C	475º C
Turbines		3 Blohm & Voss geared turbines	3 Brown-Boveri geared turbines
Construction shaft output, maximum unforced		111.000 shp	111.000 shp
Construction speed, maximum unforced		31,5 knots	31,5 knots
Machinery output	designed	138.000 shp	138.000 shp
Shaft revolutions		250/min	250/min
Speed		28 knots	29 knots
Machinery output	maximum	150.170 shp	163.026 shp
Shaft revolutions		278/min	278/min
Speed		30,8 knots	30,8 knots
Range		8.525 nm at 19 knots	8.870 nm at 19 knots
		6.640 nm at 24 knots	6.963 nm at 24 knots
		4.500 nm at 28 knots	4.728 nm at 28 knots
Bunkers	designed	3.200 m³	3.200 m³
	maximum	7.400 m³	7.780 m³
Propulsion gear (all mounted aft)	Shafts	3	3
	Propellers	3 (three bladed, diameter 4,7 m)	3 (three bladed, diameter 4,7 m)
	Rudders	2 (paired)	2 (paired)
Armour
Belt		320 mm (12,59") (main) 145 mm (10,35") (above) 170 mm (6,67") (below)	315 mm (12,39") (main) 145 mm (10,35") (above) 170 mm (6,67") (below)
Deck		50 mm (1,96") upper deck. 80 mm (3,14") - 120 mm (4,72") armor deck	50 mm (1,96") upper deck. 80 mm (3,14") - 120 mm (4,72") armor deck
Forward transverse bulkhead		220 mm (8,7")	220 mm (8,7")
Turrets		360 mm (14,1") faces. 203 mm (8") - 130 mm (5") sides and roof	360 mm (14,1") faces. 203 mm (8") - 130 mm (5") sides and roof
Barbettes		342 mm (13,5") sides	342 mm (13,5") sides
Conning tower		360 mm (14,1") sides	360 mm (14,1") sides
Armour thickness	(deck) max.	110 mm approx.	110 mm approx.
	(side) max.	380 mm approx.	380 mm approx.
Armament
Main armament		8 x 380 mm (14,96")	8 x 380 mm (14,96")
Secondary armament		12 x 150 mm (5,9")	12 x 150 mm (5,9")
Heavy flak		14 x 105 mm (4,1")	14 x 105 mm (4,1")
Light flak		16 x 37 mm (1,46")	16 x 37 mm (1,46")
Flak - Machine Gun		12 x 20 mm/L65 (0,79") MG C/30 8 x 20 mm/L65 (0,79") MG C/38 (April 1941)	12 x 20 mm/L65 (0,79") MG C/30 78 x 20 mm/L65 (0,79") MG C/38 (July 1944)
Torpedo battery		None	Two quadruple sets each of 533 mm (21") torpedo tubes. Originated from a destroyer. Installed from autumn 1941
Aircraft
Catapult		1 double catapult, amidship	1 double catapult, amidship
Aircraft		4 x Arado Ar196A-3	4 x Arado Ar196A-3
Fire Direction
10,5 m Rangefinder		4 (1940) 5 (1941)	5
7 m Rangefinder		1	1
6,5 m Rangefinder		2	2
4 m Rangefinder		4	4
3,7 cm flak		Rangefinder on gun	Rangefinder on gun
2 cm flak		Rangefinder on gun	Rangefinder on gun
Radar Equipment
FuMO 23		3	3
FuMO 212/213 (Würzburg)		0	1 (from spring/summer 1944)
FuMO 27		0	1 (additional installation)
TIMOR		0	1 (additional installation until spring/summer 1944 when replaced by FuMB 4 SAMOS)
FuMB 4 SAMOS		0	1 (replaced TIMOR in spring/summer 1944)
FuMO 26		0	1 (replaced two FuMO 23 and FumMO 27 in spring/summer 1944)
FuMO 30 Hohentwiel		0	1 (from spring/summer 1944)
Equipment
Searchlights, triaxially stabilised and directed centrally (those positioned on Tirpitz's funnel platform later replaced by flak)		7	7
Cranes		2 large and 2 small	2 large and 2 small
Ship's boats		3 barges, 4 picket boats, 1 launch, 2 cutters, 2 dinghies, 2 yawls (Tirpitz later probably fewer)
Anchors		3 bow, 1 stern	3 bow, 1 stern
Complement
Ship's company		103 officers, 1.962 + 27 men (1941)	108 officers, 2.500 men (1943)

On the morning of 27 May Admiral Tovey manoeuvred his squadron so that it would approach from the west and have the target silhouetted by the morning light. The battleships, King George V and Rodney, sailed in line abreast about 550 meter (600 yards) apart toward the last reported position of the enemy. Steering on a meandering course at 7 knots, finally came into view to the south-east at about 0843 and at a range of about 23,000 meters (25,000 yards). As soon as the enemy was sighted, the Rodney peeled off to port and headed on a more easterly course to engage separately as prearranged.

At 0847, the final battle began as the Rodney opened fire. King George V opened fire at 0848. The distance was about 20,000 meters (22,000 yards). At 0849, the Bismarck opened fire against the Rodney.

At 0854, the heavy cruiser Norfolk opened fire. At 0902, the Battleship Bismarck was hit for the first time.

At 0904, the heavy cruiser Dorsetshire opened fire.

At 0908, the forward range finder and turrets A (Anton) and B (Bruno) were put out of action. Therefore, on board the fire control was shifted to the after command post, until this station was also put out of action at about 0913.

At 0913, the Bismarck's after command post went out of action.

At 0931, fired her last salvo. At 0912 - 1016, the Battleship Bismarck received multiple hits at point blank range between 2,500 (2,700 yards) and 4,000 meters (4,400 yards), but was still afloat. By 0920, the range had come down to 14,000 meter (15,000 yards) for the King George V and 9,000 meter (10,000 yards) for the Rodney. At 0921, turret D (Dora) was put out of action after one of its own shells exploded inside the right barrel. At 0927, turret A (Anton) and B (Bruno) surprisingly fired one last salvo. At 0931 turret C (Caesar) fired its last salvo.

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