GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Battleship Bismarck
Laid down: |
1 July 1936 |
Launched: |
14 February 1939 |
Commissioned: |
24 August 1940 |
Construction cost: |
RM. 196.8 million |
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: · Height of hull sides (depth): · Waterplane area: |
241.55 meters 251 meters 36 meters 9.33 meters 10.55 meters between 4.45 - 5.67 meters 15 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 1): · PC/TC 2): · Armour's weight: |
145 mm 320 mm 130-360 mm 40-100 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 220-350 mm 45 mm 70% (170.7 meters) 17/22 19,082 metric tons |
Armament: · Main: · Secondary: · Anti-aircraft:
|
8 x 38cm/L52 12 x 15cm/L55 16 x 10.5cm/L65 16 x 3.7cm/L83 18 x 2cm/L65
|
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: |
7,400 metric tons |
Aircraft: |
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):
|
6.71 3.85 0.62 16.10 0.55 0.97 0.66 0.56 4.00 meters |
1) Protected length: Part of the ship within the citadel with the maximum amount of armour and underwater protection.
2) PC/TC: Protected compartments / Total compartments. The protected compartments are those within the citadel.
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 = 45,000 mt / (241.55 m x 36 m x 9.3 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 = 305 m² / (36 m x 8.7 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 = 0.55 / 0.97 = 0.56
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Characteristics of the Bismarck and other British capital ships in May 1941.
Ship: |
Bismarck |
Hood |
King George V |
Rodney |
Laid down: |
1 July 1936 |
1 September 1916 |
1 January 1937 |
28 December 1922 |
Launched: |
14 February 1939 |
22 August 1918 |
21 February 1939 |
17 December 1925 |
Commissioned: |
24 August 1940 |
29 March 1920 |
11 December 1940 |
November 1927 |
Displacement: - Standard: - Full load: |
43,900 mt 51,700 mt |
43,144 mt 49,136 mt |
38,600 mt 44,400 mt |
33,700 mt 41,000 mt |
Dimensions: - Length overall: - Beam: - Maximum draft: |
251 m 36 m 10.55 m |
262.2 m 32.2 m 10.1 m |
227.1 m 31.9 m 10.3 m |
216.4 m 32.31 m 12.2 m |
Armour: - Main belt: - Turrets: - Upper deck: - Armour deck: - Protected length: - PC/TC: - Armour's weight: |
320 mm 130-360 mm 50-80 mm 80-120 mm 70 % 17/22 19,082 mt |
305 mm 127-381 mm 32 mm 51 mm 65 % 12/19 13,650 mt |
348-374 mm 150-324 mm - 124-150 mm 59 % 10/21 12,612 mt |
356 mm 184-406 mm - 159 mm 53 % 9/17? 14,250 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 |
10 x 356 mm L/45 16 x 133 mm L/50 32 x 40 mm 4 x 20 rockets
|
9 x 406 mm L/45 12 x 152 mm L/50 6 x 120 mm 24 x 40 mm
|
Radar: |
3 x FuMO 23 |
1 x Type 284 1 x Type 279M |
1 x Type 284 1 x Type 281 |
1 x Type 279 ? |
Aircraft: |
4 x Arado Ar 196 |
- |
4 x Walrus |
1 x Walrus |
Machinery: |
12 boilers 3 sets of turbines 150,170 hp |
24 boilers 4 sets of turbines 151,280 hp |
8 boilers 4 sets of turbines 113,000 hp |
8 boilers 2 sets of turbines 45,000 hp |
Speed: |
30 knots |
29-30 knots |
28-29 knots |
21 knots |
Endurance: |
8,525 nm at 19 knots |
5,950 nm at 18 knots |
4,750 nm at 18 knots |
7,000 nm at 16 knots |
Fuel capacity: |
7,400 mt |
4,064 mt |
4,000 mt |
3,805 mt |
Crew: |
2,200+ |
1,417 |
1,600 |
1,300 |
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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: |
43,900 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: |
251 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: - PC/TC: - 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 |
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: |
7,400 mt |
6,000 mt |
4,000 mt |
6,300 mt |
Crew: |
2,200+ |
approx 1,600 |
1,920 |
2,300 |
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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: |
43,900 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: |
253.6 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: - PC/TC: - Armour's weight: |
315 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 |
330-355 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 |
Speed: |
30.8 knots |
27-8 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
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 BOOK: The Battleship Bismarck. The Complete History of the Ship.
 Naval, military gifts
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