bismarck

Down in the bows. Photo taken from Prinz Eugen before they parted company

Found old negative in the attic. Am undecided which of the two the photo depicts, presumably in dry dock at Hamburg. See comments for identification and other info kindly provided by Stephen Card

The launch of the German battleship Bismarck at Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg on 14 Febr 1939. Upon commissiong on 24 Aug 1940 Bismarck (45,950 ts / 53,500 ts) was the worlds largest and most powerful battleship, taken into account not only the armament (8 x 15-in main guns) but also the armour

One of the earliest photos collected of her showing the yellow/ black camouflage which she wore when setting out on Operation Rheinubung. It was taken from PRINZ EUGEN.

Taken on her passage down the Elbe in 1940.

The German liner Bismarck is launched at the Blohm und Voss shipyard on 20 June, 1914. Notice that, unlike both of Cunard’s and White Star’s three largest ships of the time, the builders of the big German ships installed neither the rudder nor the propellers prior to the ships launch. Eight days a

The German passenger liner Bismarck seen here en route to Southampton, after being handed over to Great Britain as war reparation. Bismarck (56,551 grt/24,333 nrt) was the largest ship in the world until completion of the SS Normandie in 1935. The third and largest member of German HAPAG Line's tri

Three days after she did for HMS HOOD, BISMARCK finally met her end 27th May 1941. Dietrich Baumer collection photo.

Adolf Hitler and entourage on a tour of BISMARCK in 1941 at Hamburg before she went on trials.

The early stages of her fitting out by Blohm and Voss in Hamburg.

Stern shot of BISMARCK in the final stages of fitting out at Hamburg in 1940.

BISMARCK on the Elbe about Wedel perhaps on her way out for trials. I always remember as a kid seeing on TV programmes the propaganda film of this in which the camera pans slowly along her full length whilst the commentator extols her virtues. In the background was always this attractive tune which

This is quite a well known photo but this is a hand coloured version of BISMARCK, taken from PRINZ EUGEN in Grimstadfjord on a warm May 1941 day, her crews relaxing before they made their way to sea. It was the only period of R&R and good weather they were to see.

BISMARCK, now low in the water following damage sustained from gunfire from KING GEORGE V and the second Swordfish attack from ARK ROYAL. She would soon meet her fate.

A rare colour shot of her out on trials in 1941.

Here is the recently completed Bismarck newly painted in her Baltic camouflage as she returns to Hamburg in the winter 1940/1, this would be her last visit to Hamburg. In the background is the Schleswig-Holstein. From a painting by the artist Ivan Berryman Frank