Tirpitz

**KrooK** · 04-02-2006, 19:58

But superb cannons didn't save Bismarck.
Anti - destroyers guns didn't save it too.
During hunting on Bismarck polish destroyer "Piorun" was fighting with Bismarck for over an hour until help came. Piorun did not any damages but told everyone where is Bismarck.

Anyway staying in Norway wasn't bad option. Royal Navy was vey afraid of Tirpitz. I heard there was a conwoy who divided itself because they thought that Tirpitz is coming. And during arctic conwoys - divide meant death.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 04-02-2006, 23:40

Actually, I think most of the surface units in the Kreigsmarine larger than a CL were a waste of tonnage and crew. Replace the expenditures on these units with an appropriate number of Type 7's and 9's and then see about hitting some convoys...

Of course, Kaiser Willy made the same gaffe before round 1, building a second-best navy and draining away the personnel and steel that could have put 3-4 corps (more?) into the line at Tannenberg and the Marne.

**AggonyDuck** · 04-03-2006, 00:54

Actually from what I've read it wasn't even plunging fire from the Bismarck that sunk HMS Hood, but a 8.1 inch shell fired from Prinz Eugen that pierced the deck armour and hit the secondary magazine that caused a chain-reaction.

But what I find impressive about the Bismarck-class was their armour. Simply the amount of pounding that the Bismarck took before being scuttled is quite amazing really. But on the other hand what use is there off battleship that has no turrets or speed left, but just refuses to sink?

**Kraxis** · 04-03-2006, 01:39

Originally Posted by AggonyDuck

Actually from what I've read it wasn't even plunging fire from the Bismarck that sunk HMS Hood, but a 8.1 inch shell fired from Prinz Eugen that pierced the deck armour and hit the secondary magazine that caused a chain-reaction.

But what I find impressive about the Bismarck-class was their armour. Simply the amount of pounding that the Bismarck took before being scuttled is quite amazing really. But on the other hand what use is there off battleship that has no turrets or speed left, but just refuses to sink?

Pure tenacity! If you can't win, then at least you can get the satisfaction that you enemy can't sink you. Typical German.
"So you zink you can sink our ship? Try you weakling British pondsailors! I dare you!"

Anyway, it couldn't have been Hipper that did the damage. The simple fact is she hit Hood a handful of seconds prior to the destructive hit. Given that she was firing entire broadsides and not staggered volleys it can't have been her.
Her hit(s) caused a serious fire just ahead of the bridge where a large crate or stash of flares was held. This is clearly stated.
Besides, her fire didn't plunge enough to be able to punch through to the bottom of Hood. Her shells would at best explode at about sealevel.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 04-03-2006, 02:13

Krax' your research is right on the money.

Part of the trouble is visualizing it. 24k yards is way long for most of us to get a grip on it. When you go through the geometry/gun firepower a bit, it is obvious that an 203 would be coming in at different angles than a 380 over the same distance -- and a review of Hood's deck armors suggest the near-impossibility of a 203 bopping though all of them at that range (though ironically a 1920 RN study of the Hood specified the exact danger which apparently killed her 20+ years later).

**yesdachi** · 04-03-2006, 03:27

I saw the same show but I fell asleep on the floor about half way thru. Woke up 2 hours later with a leg cramp still curious as to what happened to the Tripitz. Thanks for the link spmetla

**Alexanderofmacedon** · 04-03-2006, 03:40

Originally Posted by yesdachi

I saw the same show but I fell asleep on the floor about half way thru. Woke up 2 hours later with a leg cramp still curious as to what happened to the Tripitz. Thanks for the link spmetla

I was laying on the floor too! That's my TV watching position of choice. Nice firm pillow underneath...yeah...

**AggonyDuck** · 04-03-2006, 23:33

Originally Posted by Kraxis

Pure tenacity! If you can't win, then at least you can get the satisfaction that you enemy can't sink you. Typical German.
"So you zink you can sink our ship? Try you weakling British pondsailors! I dare you!"

Hehehe, thanks for the laughs.

**soibean** · 04-12-2006, 03:10

all ive ever heard about the Tirpitz was that it was used as a commerce raider in the norwegian fjords... it matched the bismarck but was never used to its fullest potential

**Alexanderofmacedon** · 04-13-2006, 01:34

Originally Posted by soibean

all ive ever heard about the Tirpitz was that it was used as a commerce raider in the norwegian fjords... it matched the bismarck but was never used to its fullest potential

Yeah, it never really did much damage. It just scared the allies into making rash descisions, which the German capitalized on.