General Layout
| Laid down: | 1 July 1936 |
| Launched: | 14 February 1939 |
| Commissioned: | 24 August 1940 |
| Construction cost: | RM. 196.8 million1) |
| Displacement: · Empty ship: · Standard: · Construction: · Full load: · Maximum: | 40,250 metric tons 43,978 metric tons 47,870 metric tons 51,760 metric tons 53,486 metric tons |
| Dimensions: · Waterline length: · Overall length: · Beam: · Standard draught: · Maximum draught: · Freeboard amidships: · Depth:2) · Waterplane area: | 241.55 meters 250.50 meters 36.00 meters 9.33 meters 10.55 meters between 4.45 – 5.67 meters 15.00 meters 5,740 m² |
| Armour Protection: · Upper belt: · Main belt: · Main battery turrets: · Secondary battery turrets: · Upper deck: · Third armour deck: · Conning tower: · Torpedo bulkhead: · Protected length: · Sections within citadel: · Armour’s weight: | 145 mm 320 mm 130-360 mm 20-100 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 220-350 mm 45 mm 70% (170.7 meters) 17 out of 22 19,082 metric tons |
| Armament: · Main: · Secondary: · Anti-aircraft: · Other: | 8 x 38cm/L52 12 x 15cm/L55 16 x 10.5cm/L65 16 x 3.7cm/L83 20 x 2cm/L65 9 x depth charges |
| Fire control: | 5 x 10.5-m base rangefinders 1 x 7-m base rangefinder 2 x 6.5-m base rangefinders 4 x 4-m Type SL-8 rangefinders 2 x 3-m rangefinders |
| Radar Equipment: | 3 x FuMO 23 |
| Propulsion plant: | 12 Wagner boilers Three Blohm & Voss turbine sets 150,170 hp (maximum obtained) |
| Speed: | 30.12 knots (maximum obtained) |
| Endurance: | 9,280 nautical miles at 16 knots 8,900 nautical miles at 17 knots 8,525 nautical miles at 19 knots 6,640 nautical miles at 24 knots 4,500 nautical miles at 28 knots |
| Fuel oil capacity: | 7,900 metric tons |
| Seaplanes: | 4 x Arado Ar 196 |
| Crew: | 2,200+ |
| Hull coefficients & ratios: · Ratio length/beam: · Ratio beam/draught: · Ratio draught/depth: · Ratio length/depth:· Block coefficient:3) · Midship coefficient:4) · Waterplane coefficient:5) · Prismatic coefficient:6)· Metacentric height (GM): | 241.55 / 36.00 = 6.71 36.00 / 9.33 = 3.85 9.33 / 15.00 = 0.62 241.55 / 15.00 = 16.1044,900 / (241.55 x 36.00 x 9.33) = 0.55 326 / (36.00 x 9.33) = 0.97 5,740 / (241.55 x 36.00) = 0.66 0.553 / 0.97 = 0.574.00 meters at 47,200 mt |
1) At 1938 values.
2) This is the height of the hull sides measured amidships from the upper deck to the bottom of the keel.
3) The block coefficient (CB) is the ratio of the underwater hull volume of a ship at a particular draft to the volume of a rectangular prism (the circumscribing prism) of the same length, breadth, and draught as the ship. CB = V/(L x B x T)
Bismarck block coefficient is calculated as follows: CB = 44,900 mt / (241.55 m x 36 m x 9.33 m) = 0.55
4) The midship section coefficient (CM) is the ratio of the area of the underwater midship section (Am) of a ship at a particular draft to the area of a rectangle (the circumscribing rectangle) of the same breadth and draught as the ship. CM = Am/(B x T)
Bismarck midship section coefficient is calculated as follows: CM = 326 m² / (36 m x 9.33 m) = 0.97
5) The waterplane coefficient (CWP) is the ratio of the area of a ship’s waterplane (AWP) to the area of a rectangle (the circumscribing rectangle) of the same length and breadth as the ship. CWP = AWP/(L x B)
Bismarck waterplane coefficient is calculated as follows: CWP = 5,740 m² / (241.55 m x 36 m) = 0.66
6) The longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP) is the ratio of the underwater hull volume of a ship to the volume of a prism with length equal to the ship’s and cross-section area identical to the midship section. In other words, the prismatic coefficient is equal to the block coefficient (CB) divided by the midship section coefficient (CM). CP = V/(Am x L) = CB/CM
Bismarck prismatic coefficient is calculated as follows: CP = 0.553 / 0.97 = 0.57
Characteristics of the Bismarck and other British capital ships involved during Rheinübung.1)
| Ship: | Bismarck | Hood | Rodney | King George V |
| Laid down: | 1 July 1936 | 1 September 1916 | 28 December 1922 | 1 January 1937 |
| Launched: | 14 February 1939 | 22 August 1918 | 17 December 1925 | 21 February 1939 |
| Commissioned: | 24 August 1940 | 29 March 1920 | November 1927 | 11 December 1940 |
| Displacement: – Standard: – Full load: | 43,978 mt 51,700 mt | 43,144 mt 49,136 mt | 33,700 mt 41,000 mt | 38,600 mt 44,400 mt |
| Dimensions: – Length overall: – Beam: – Maximum draft: | 250.5 m 36 m 10.55 m | 262.2 m 32.2 m 10.1 m | 216.4 m 32.31 m 12.2 m | 227.1 m 31.9 m 10.3 m |
| Armour: – Main belt: – Turrets: – Upper deck: – Armour deck: – Protected length: – Citadel Sections: – Armour’s weight: | 320 mm 130-360 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 70 % 17 out 22 19,082 mt | 305 mm 127-381 mm 32 mm 51 mm 65 % 12 out of 19 13,650 mt | 324-349 mm 184-406 mm – 156 mm 53 % 9 out of 17? 14,250 mt | 349-374 mm 150-324 mm – 124-150 mm 59 % 10 out 21 12,612 mt |
| Armament: – Main: – Secondary: – Anti-aircraft: | 8 x 380 mm L/52 12 x 150 mm L/55 16 x 105 mm 16 x 37 mm 18 x 20 mm | 8 x 381 mm L/42 – 14 x 102 mm 24 x 40 mm 16 x 12.7 mm 5 x 20 rockets | 9 x 406 mm L/45 12 x 152 mm L/50 6 x 120 mm 24 x 40 mm | 10 x 356 mm L/45 16 x 133 mm L/50 32 x 40 mm 4 x 20 rockets |
| Radar: | 3 x FuMO 23 | 1 x Type 284 1 x Type 279M | 1 x Type 279 ? | 1 x Type 284 1 x Type 281 |
| Aircraft: | 4 x Arado Ar 196 | – | 1 x Walrus | 4 x Walrus |
| Machinery: | 12 boilers 3 sets of turbines 150,170 hp | 24 boilers 4 sets of turbines 151,280 hp | 8 boilers 2 sets of turbines 45,000 hp | 8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 113,000 hp |
| Top Speed: | 30 knots | 29-30 knots | 21 knots | 28-29 knots |
| Endurance: | 8,525 nm at 19 knots | 5,950 nm at 18 knots | 7,000 nm at 16 knots | 4,750 nm at 18 knots |
| Fuel capacity: | 7,900 mt | 4,064 mt | 3,805 mt | 4,000 mt |
| Crew: | 2,200+ | 1,417 | 1,300 | 1,600 |
1) Data of the ships as they were in 1941.
Characteristics of the Bismarck and other battleships of the time in 1941.
| Ship: | Bismarck | Richelieu | Vittorio Veneto | North Carolina |
| Laid down: | 1 July 1936 | 22 October 1935 | 28 October 1934 | 27 October 1937 |
| Launched: | 14 February1939 | 17 January 1939 | 25 July 1937 | 13 June 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 24 August 1940 | 15 June 1940 | 1 May 1940 | 9 April 1941 |
| Displacement: – Standard: – Full load: | 43,978 mt 51,700 mt | 38,450 mt 45,438 mt | 41,167 mt 45,752 mt | 37,178 mt 45,519 mt |
| Dimensions: – Length overall: – Beam: – Maximum draft: | 250.5 m 36 m 10.55 m | 247.8 m 33.08 m 9.9 m | 237.8 m 32.95 m 10.44 m | 222.1 m 33 m 10.8 m |
| Armour: – Main Belt: – Turrets: – Upper deck: – Armour deck: – Protected length: – Citadel Sections: – Armour’s weight: | 320 mm 130-360 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 70 % 17/22 19,082 mt | 327 mm 170-430 mm 24 mm 150-170 + 40 mm 54 % 10/21 16,400 mt | 350 mm 130-380 mm 45 mm 112 mm 55 % 8/18 13,545 mt | 305 mm 178-406 mm 37 mm 104 + 36 mm 60 % 9/18? 15,087 mt |
| Armament: – Main: – Secondary: – Anti-aircraft: | 8 x 380 mm L/52 12 x 150 mm L/55 16 x 105 mm 16 x 37 mm 18 x 20 mm | 8 x 380 mm L/45 9 x 152 mm L/55 12 x 100 mm 12 x 37 mm 32 x 13.2 mm | 9 x 381 mm L/50 12 x 152 mm L/55 12 x 90 mm 20 x 37 mm 20 x 20 mm | 9 x 406 mm L/45 – 20 x 127 mm L/38 16 x 28 mm 12 x 12.7 mm |
| Aircraft: | 4 x Arado Ar 196 | 3 x Loire 130 | 2-3 Romeo Ro 43 | 2 x Kingfisher |
| Machinery: | 12 boilers 3 sets of turbines 150,170 hp | 6 boilers 4 sets of turbines 179,000 hp | 8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 140,000 hp | 8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 122,000 hp |
| Top Speed: | 30 knots | 32.6 knots | 30 knots | 28 knots |
| Endurance: | 8,525 nm at 19 knots | 9,500 nm at 15 knots | 4,584 nm at 16 knots | 17,450 nm at 15 knots |
| Fuel capacity: | 7,900 mt | 6,000 mt | 4,000 mt | 6,300 mt |
| Crew: | 2,200+ | approx 1,600 | 1,920 | 2,300 |
Characteristics of Bismarck’s sister ship and the last generation of battleships.
| Ship: | Tirpitz (1944) | Yamato | Iowa | Vanguard |
| Laid down: | 2 November 1936 | 4 November 1937 | 27 June 1940 | 2 October 1941 |
| Launched: | 1 April 1939 | 8 August 1940 | 27 August 1942 | 30 November 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 25 February 1941 | 16 December 1941 | 23 February 1943 | 9 August 1946 |
| Displacement: – Standard: – Full load: | 43,978 mt 51,700 mt | 64,000 mt 72,800 mt | 48,110 mt 57,500 mt | 46,200 mt 51,400 mt |
| Dimensions: – Length overall: – Beam: – Maximum draft: | 250.5 m 36 m 10.61 m | 263 m 37 m 10.86 m | 270.4 m 32.9 m 11.3 m | 249 m 32.8 m 10.5 m |
| Armour: – Main Belt: – Turrets: – Upper deck: – Armour deck: – Protected length: – Citadel Sections: – Armour’s weight: | 320 mm 130-360 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 70 % 17/22 19,082 mt | 410 mm 270-650 mm – 200-230 mm 60 % ? 21,200 mt | 307 mm 185-432 mm 38 mm 121 + 32 mm 60 % ? 18,700 mt | 349 mm 152-330 mm – 127-152 mm 58 % ? ? mt |
| Armament: – Main: – Secondary: – Anti-aircraft: | 8 x 380 mm L/52 12 x 150 mm L/55 16 x 105 mm 16 x 37 mm 78 x 20 mm | 9 x 459 mm L/45 12 x 155 mm L/60 12 x 127 mm 24 x 25 mm 4 x 13.2 mm | 9 x 406 mm L/50 20 x 127 mm L/38 80 x 40 mm 49 x 20 mm – | 8 x 381 mm L/42 16 x 133 mm L/50 73 x 40 mm – – |
| Aircraft: | 4 x Arado Ar 196 | 7 x Mitsubishi F1M | 2-3 Kingfisher | – |
| Machinery: | 12 boilers 3 sets of turbines 163,024 hp | 12 boilers 4 sets of turbines 153,000 hp | 8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 212,000 hp | 8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 130,000 hp |
| Top Speed: | 30-31 knots | 27-28 knots | 33 knots | 30 knots |
| Endurance: | 8,870 nm at 19 knots | 7,200 nm at 16 knots | 18,000 nm at 12 knots | 9,000 nm at 20 knots |
| Fuel capacity: | 7,780 mt | 6,300 mt | 7,600 mt | 7,000 mt |
| Crew: | 2,600 | 3,300 | 2,700 | 2,000+ |
mt = metric tons, 1 mt = 1,000 kilograms
nm = nautical miles, 1 nm = 1,852 meters = 2,025 yards
1 knot = 1 nm/hour