Had the Bismarck escaped, the boost to the morale of the Germans and particularly the German navy would have been massive. If the four big German ships could then have been assembled into a task force somehow and unleashed on the Atlantic it would have been hell to pay for the Allies.

What if Bismarck and Tirpitz sailed together?

The Bismarck and Tirpitz could attack any British convoy, even those escorted by a battleship. The Royal Navy simply didn't have enough warships to protect every convoy against two battleships of this kind.

Is it possible to raise the Bismarck?

Any deep sea salvage company will tell you that it is impossible to raise a wreck from these depths, thank god and as for raising the guns, the huge turrets contained a large crew, which nearly all perished so these are war graves in themselves so please let The Bismark rest in peace.

Did any of the Bismarck's crew survive?

By mid-morning, the pride of the German navy had become a floating wreck with numerous fires aboard, unable to steer and with her guns almost useless because she was listing badly to port. Soon, the command went out to scuttle the ship, and the Bismarck quickly sank. Of a 2,221-man crew, only 115 survived.

Was HMS Hood bigger than the Bismarck?

Hood is slightly larger than the Bismarck. Hood was a battlecruiser and not a battleship. The technical differences may have won the battle, but it seems the Hood should have been well matched to the Bismarck.

Alternate History Special 001

What was the most feared ship in ww2?

The Bismarck was the most feared battleship in the German Kriegsmarine (War Navy) and, at over 250 metres in length, the biggest. Yet, despite its presence, it would sink only one ship in its only battle.

Did the Bismarck sink any ships?

On May 24, 1941, Germany's largest battleship, the Bismarck, sinks the pride of the British fleet, HMS Hood.

Did HMS Rodney Sink the Bismarck?

During the early stages of the Second World War, she searched for German commerce raiders, participated in the Norwegian Campaign, and escorted convoys in the Atlantic Ocean. Rodney played a major role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck in mid-1941.

How many shells hit the Bismarck?

In the engagement, Bismarck had fired 93 armour-piercing shells and had been hit by three shells in return.

What if the Bismarck never sank?

When combined with the German U-boat offensive, the damage and disruption to the British convoy system would have been even worse. The Bismarck would not have won the Battle of the Atlantic, but it would have severely harried the British war effort at a time when that nation could least afford it.

What if Bismarck survived ww2?

Had the Bismarck escaped, the boost to the morale of the Germans and particularly the German navy would have been massive. If the four big German ships could then have been assembled into a task force somehow and unleashed on the Atlantic it would have been hell to pay for the Allies.

Was the Bismarck bigger than the Titanic?

The slightly later German ships, Imperator, Vaterland and Bismarck were all larger than Olympic and Titanic, both in dimensions and GRT.

Is the Tirpitz still visible?

Despite a salvage operation in the 1950s, close to 20% of the Tirpitz is still scattered across the bottom of the Fjord. For the first time, documentary cameras reveal what remains of Hitler's single biggest weapon. They find ladders, shells and cordite.

Was Bismarck or Tirpitz better?

Both ships were rated for a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph); Bismarck just exceeded this speed on sea trials, reaching 30.01 knots (55.58 km/h; 34.53 mph), while Tirpitz made 30.8 knots (57.0 km/h; 35.4 mph) on trials.

Why was HMS Rodney scrapped?

Nevertheless the two battleships proved their value during the Second World War and were often in the foreground. HMS Rodney, in poor condition from extremely heavy use and lack of refits, was scrapped in 1948. HMS Rodney and HMS Nelson had been built partially by reusing material from ships canceled after 1922.

What was the biggest battleship ever built?

Meet the Yamato: The Largest Battleship Ever Built (With the Largest Guns Ever) Battleship Yamato during sea trials October 30, 1941. The Yamato was certainly a record-breaking battleship for many different reasons.

What was the most powerful British battleship?

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest and most powerful vessel ever constructed for the Royal Navy. This awe-inspiring warship is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.

Where is the Tirpitz now?

The celebration of the Tirpitz being launched in 1939. After the Tirpitz was commissioned into the war in 1941, Kriegsmarine Grand Admiral Erich Raeder decided that it be sent to Norway, which had been successfully occupied by the Nazis the previous year.

Why did HMS Hood sink so quickly?

HMS Hood was struck by several German shells near its ammunition magazines which subsequently exploded, causing the ship to sink. It sparked a huge Royal Navy pursuit of the Bismarck, which was destroyed three days later.

Could a destroyer sink a battleship?

In large fleet actions, however, destroyers and torpedo boats were usually unable to get close enough to the battleships to damage them. The only battleship sunk in a fleet action by either torpedo boats or destroyers was the obsolescent German pre-dreadnought SMS Pommern.

Was Bismarck a good battleship?

Overall, the Bismarck class was an impressive combination of firepower, speed, and protection. The Iowa-class battleships were the most powerful battleships built for the U.S. Navy.

What was the most unsinkable battleship?

USS Nevada (BB-36) – dubbed the “unsinkable battleship” that served in two world wars – was found nearly three miles below the water's surface about 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor, a team of researchers announced Monday.