Naval History Forums

Hello Mr. Nilsson, thanks. In 1941, a certain shortage in production is understandable. However, many units kept their bi-axially stabilized mounts forever (e.g. Tirpitz) or got some tri-axial mounts, together with some bi-axial (Lützow in 1942, AFAIK). I wonder whether production could not be incre...

Hello Mr. chuckfan3, that's very interesting question but I'm afraid I have no answer to it. I was always intrigued by evolution of the 2 cm guns aboard Kriegsmarine ships. You have correctly pointed out that already in 1941 Scharnhorst received tri-stabilized mounts. However Navalweapons (http://ww...

Hello Mr. Nilsson, thanks for these clarifications.
Blohm & Voss and Kriegsmarinewerft plan show (hand measures based on plans) similar o.l. of around 250+ meters for both ships, though.
IMHO G&D are in error (not unique occurrence).
hans

hello Mr. chuckfan3@gmail.com, originally Bismarck had a straight bow, that was modified after launch with floating ship. Therefore only the part above waterline could be modified and her overall length after modification was 250.5 meters (vs 250.6 meters for Tirpitz). Bow was built as "Atlanti...

Hello, I agree with Mr. Chuckfan3, we have witnesses (e.g. officer responsible of central shaft turbine room, Junack) stating that, inside Bismarck vitals, they had not even realized that the ship was doomed, with their machinery (center turbine turning "slow" as per last order), lights an...

Hello Mr. Wadinga, re. Admiral Graf Spee (I agree this is out of topic and we should open another thread to discuss it) German damage report lists all damages that were not reparable, structural and to equipment at pag.12): no mention to auxiliary boiler (that was probably repaired at Montevideo, po...

Hello Mr. NCC1717, you are right, however at pag.12 of list of damages (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B12aaMD-x_k_dGpBbFdrczQ5NTA/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-CqV3WnGDOjVjHRqXpjp1kw), no hit is mentioned to have penetrated the ship vitals, not even n.3. Lubricating oil purification system s...

Hello Mr. Jurens, thanks a lot for your answer and precious info. It's precisely my understanding, reading German damage report. Regarding the chances to get back, however, I disagree: in 1941 Admiral Scheer got back to Germany after an even longer and more successful cruise, avoiding British patrol...

Hello Mr. Jurens, would you mind to please share here a summary of your conclusions regarding damage to oil processing system ? Which hit are we speaking about in relation to numbering/plans present in German report (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B12aaMD-x_k_dGpBbFdrczQ5NTA/view?usp=sharing&r...

Hello Mr. Wadinga, possibly I was unclear: I don't say that doubling output for H-39 would have been a trivial matter for MAN (despite their design was almost same as Panzerschiffe engines), but I say that final decision had already been taken by KM. Orders for 48 of these engines for 4 H-39 BB's we...

Hello Mr. Wadinga, you are right when you say that "MAN were no longer in receipt of Kriegsmarine support from 1933 onwards but were free to develop what they wanted", however they were not funded to develop what they possibly wanted. Researches at MAN were seriously slowed till 1938, if n...

Hello, H-39 class battleships (six of them were actually ordered in summer 1939 by KM and two of them were even laid out, before works were cancelled at war start) were last fully designed and detailed KM BB's, AFAIK. They had a pure Diesel propulsion plant for 29-30 knots speed (12 MAN M9Z 65/95 fr...

Hello Mr. McWilliams, Mr. aaz57 image (167bis...) was taken on board Tirpitz during Hitler visit on May 5, 1941. Captain Topp (from back) is saluting Hitler. Keitel 'hidden' behind Hitler. tp_hitler_visit_topp_hitler_leaving.jpg Other image (4160...) was taken on Bismarck (see baltic camo and silver...

Hello Mr. "Biggie Cheese", I hope you will be able to post photo from your great grandfather's diary, as very few such images are available. Until now, I have only seen photos of the two ships together in R. Gehringer / A. Bonomi Tirpitz books (volume II, photo # 7, 9 and 10 taken on May 1...

Hello Mr. Mostlyharmless, while I see your points (however all your proposed changes have pros and cons), IMHO main flaw in (Scharnhorst's and) Bismarck's design was KM poor decision to give up Diesel propulsion for large vessels in 1933, coming back to steam and turbines. Researches at MAN were not...