Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Discussions about the history of the ship, technical details, etc.

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Pieter C
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Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Pieter C »

Hi,

Except for the pravane in Bismarcks bow, which of her anti submarine / mine hunting suites was visible on the hull below the water line. For example, Gneisenau's transponders were visible just above her pravane port in the bow

Pieter.
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Herr Nilsson
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Herr Nilsson »

4 transmitter in the bulbous bow
1 transmitter each side just before frame 230
1 telescopic device about 1 m portside of the centerline between frame 169,98 and 171,35.
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Marc

"Thank God we blow up and sink more easily." (unknown officer from HMS Norfolk)
Pieter C
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Pieter C »

Marc, you got me on the telescopic device?
Were the 4 transmitters open to the sea water or behind some type of cover? Saw photos of Gneisenau and sister ship bow and the transmitter were in notches and open to the sea. Read a few places that say Bismarck's were enclosed, but if that the is the case they will surely have problems with a clear reading?
Pieter
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Herr Nilsson
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Herr Nilsson »

The rectangular transmitters are always open to sea.

Gneisenau's transmitters were protuded and embedded into more streamlined casings.

Bismarck's bow transmitters were installed into a horizontal recess of the bulbous bow similar to Tirpitz.

TP bow.jpg
TP bow.jpg (32.39 KiB) Viewed 1539 times
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Marc

"Thank God we blow up and sink more easily." (unknown officer from HMS Norfolk)
Pieter C
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Pieter C »

Thanks, cleared that up. Came across it in discussions over the years but always with vague excuses where to find the info. And the photos of Bismarck in dry dock also didn't help ether-way .

On the anti-mine. How many paravane booms were on the Bismarck? So far I only found 4 and 2 posts for the booms.

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Pieter
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Herr Nilsson
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Herr Nilsson »

4 booms, 4 posts, 8 paravanes
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Marc

"Thank God we blow up and sink more easily." (unknown officer from HMS Norfolk)
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wadinga
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by wadinga »

Hey Herr Nilsson,

You wouldn't happen to have a nice diagram of Bismarck's passive sonar GHG installation, would you? Or indeed Prinz Eugen's?

All the best

wadinga
"There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today!"
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Herr Nilsson
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by Herr Nilsson »

Nothing nice, just a horizontal projection.
GHG.jpg
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Marc

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wadinga
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Re: Bismarcks anit-submarine/ mine

Post by wadinga »

Hi Herr Nilsson

Much nicer than nothing! Thanks for this snippet. :ok: It is the first contemporary representation I have ever seen. I wonder if any US photos of the system before removal from PG and installation in USS Flying Fish will ever emerge?

All the best

wadinga
"There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today!"
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