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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 30,1 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)


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