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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the GERMAN NAVY --
Bismarck (Battleship, 1940-1941) -- Construction
Bismarck was Germany's first "real" post-World
War I battleship, with guns and protection of similar scale to
those of the best foreign combat ships. Built to a relatively
conservative design, she featured a main battery of eight 38 centimeter
(15-inch) guns in four twin turrets, two forward and two aft.
Her secondary battery of twelve 15 cm (5.9-inch) guns, mounted
six on each side in twin turrets, was optimized for use against
enemy surface ships, especially destroyers. Her anti-aircraft
battery, including sixteen 10.5 cm (4.1-inch) guns in eight twin
mounts and several 37mm and 20mm machine guns, reflected the prevailing
pre-World War II underestimation of the threat from the air, a
failing common to all the World's navies.
The two ships of this class, Bismarck and her "sister"
Tirpitz, were quite
fast, at just over thirty knots maximum speed. Their steam turbine
powerplants, producing some 150,000 horsepower, consumed a great
deal of fuel oil, limiting their oceanic "reach" to
a degree that was especially critical to a nation with Germany's
geography. Future German battleship designs, which World War II
aborted, featured diesel engines, intended to produce far greater
endurance on the high seas.
Bismarck was very heavily protected against the gunfire
of other battleships. With a standard displacement of well over
41,000 tons (about 50,000 tons fully loaded), she was also quite
a bit larger than her European and American contemporaries. As
shown by the photographs below, originally collected by the U.S.
Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence, this ship's construction
greatly interested foreign navies.
Built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Bismarck's
keel was laid at the beginning of July 1936. She was launched
with considerable ceremony, including the attendance of Adolf
Hitler, on 14 February 1939. Her outfitting, which included the
addition of a new "clipper" bow (which the Germans called
an "Atlantic" bow), lasted nearly two years. She was
commissioned in August 1940, ran trials during the following months,
and was not fully ready for service until late in 1940.
This page features all our views of the construction of the
German battleship Bismarck.
For other images of Bismarck, see:
Bismarck (Battleship, 1940-1941).
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 75644
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Sliding down the launching ways at the Blohm & Voss shipyard,
Hamburg, Germany, 14 February 1939.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 153KB; 740 x 560 pixels |
![](../../../images/h75000/h75644t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 75643
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Afloat just after launching, at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg,
Germany, 14 February 1939.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
![](../../../images/h75000/h75643t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83983
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, shows the ship's newly-installed "Atlantic" bow
and the extent of her side armor.
Note canal boat in the foreground.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 500 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83983t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83987
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, was taken from off the ship's port side, forward. It shows
details of the front part of her side armor belt, 380mm main
battery turrets and forward superstructure.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 505 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83987t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83988
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, was taken from off the ship's port side, forward. It shows
details of her forward twin 380mm main battery gun turrets, which
were then being installed.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 500 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83988t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83984
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, shows the port forward 150mm twin gun turret in the process
of installation, with the ship's forward superstructure behind.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 128KB; 740 x 515 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83984t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83985
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, shows the ship's hull side and superstructure, seen from
off the port side, looking forward.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 540 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83985t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 83986
Bismarck (German Battleship, 1940-41)
Fitting out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, between
10 and 15 December 1939.
This view, received from the Naval Attache Office, London, in
1940, was taken from off the ship's port quarter and shows details
of her stern and the extent of her belt armor aft.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 505 pixels |
![](../../../images/h83000/h83986t.jpg) |
For other images of Bismarck, see:
Bismarck (Battleship, 1940-1941).
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Page made 16 December 2000