Bismarck Turret Installation Photos

[30knots]

Hi All,

I have not seen these three photographs before. (Apologies to anyone who has)

http://ww2db.com/images/imagemagick/tmb ... mark12.jpg
Installing 15-inch gun turrets onto the Bismarck, Dec 1939

http://ww2db.com/images/imagemagick/tmb ... mark13.jpg
Installing 5.9-inch guns onto the Bismarck, Dec 1939

[30knots]

Apologies to all,

The links are not performing as they shoud. If a mod could remove this post or help ?

Thanks

[RF]

I think what's happened is that the link's out of date, as I'm being directed to an article on Hitler Youth.

[30knots]

If you go to http://www.ww2db.com and click equipment, ships, battleships and battlecruisers, bismarck, then see all 24 photos at the end of the page, you can view them there, along with one or two others i'd not seen before.

In photo "Bismarck fitting out at Hamburg, Dec 1939, photo 2 of 3", is that the armour belt being installed, or it it just some sort of fendering on the side of the hull ?

Thanks for any replies

[Herr Nilsson]

Obviously you can find the same pictures here

[RF]

Looking at these photo's I am curious as to how the US Naval Attache office in London would have obtained them, as US diplomatic representation in Berlin was down graded after ''Krystallnacht'' and I would have thought in any case that foreign observers would not be allowed near the ship especially as it was wartime.

[Herr Nilsson]

Probably after war.

[30knots]

but most of the captions have "received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in 1940"

[30knots]

It's stated in the caption for the photo linked below "Photographed from astern, 1940-41, showing stern anchor in its recessed well, folding propeller guards, armor belt and other details of hull and superstructure."

http://tinyurl.com/3fo8n7

folding propeller guards ?

In photo "Bismarck fitting out at Hamburg, Dec 1939, photo 2 of 3", is that the armour belt being installed, or it it just some sort of fendering on the side of the hull ?

Anyone got anything on this previous question ?

Thanks for any replies

[Terje Langoy]

I think a better description would be folded propeller guards. After all, they are folded.

[30knots]

What's folded ?

[Terje Langoy]

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/imag ... h97536.jpg

At this image of the Scharnhorst, the propeller guard can be seen partially assembled in front of the stern anchor. You can see them between the upper and lower rows of portholes, the rear support is folded, the forward one is out. On the image you referred to, both are folded, seen only as small "pipes" (I couldn't find a better word for it) at her hull sides. She also have similar but longer "pipes" up front albeit these are used as boat tenders.

[RNfanDan]

The propellor guard is a single, hinged arm which is both operated by, and held in position with, wire ropes. The longer arm shown just ahead of the stern anchor is not part of the guard assembly. The guard arms, both port and starboard, are "folded" against the hull when at sea.

Compare these single-arm prop guards with those found on KM destroyers and some cruisers, which are attached "hard" to the hull and do not retract or fold.

[30knots]

Thanks very much for your replies Terje and Dan.

What exactly are they supposed to do ?

[Terje Langoy]

As the name implies, I would suppose they are to guard the propellers. I though the rear support served the purpose of stiffening the guard, RNFanDan. Three points are stronger than one. If this is not so, can anyone be so kind as to provide the purpose of the latter one?