H-39 Battleship (Plan Z Super Battleship - Actually Laid Down!)
PLAN Z SUPER BATTLESHIP - 1939 Laid Down! - 6 ships planned: H, J, K, L, M, N (only H & J laid down!). 56,444 tons standard, 62,497 tons full load (LARGER than Bismarck!). 8× 40.6cm (16") guns in 4× twin turrets (BIGGER than Bismarck's 15"!). 1,030 kg shells (+25% heavier!). 30 kts, 9,300 nm range. Improved armor (320mm belt, 380mm turrets). ACTUALLY LAID DOWN July-August 1939 (H at Blohm & Voss, J at AG Weser)! ~2% complete when CANCELLED September 1939 (WWII outbreak!). PLAN Z: Hitler's 10-year naval expansion dream (6× H-class BBs, 3× O-class BCs, 4× carriers, 33 billion Reichsmarks!). REALITY: All resources diverted to U-boats, tanks, aircraft! Materials reused for ~20-30 U-boats. Bismarck's loss (1941) proved surface fleet futility. Dönitz argued U-boat priority (correct!). PLAN Z: Hitler's fantasy vs WWII reality!
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 53400 t
- Displacement (full)
- 62497 t
- Length
- 872.7 ft
- Beam
- 121.4 ft
- Crew
- 2603 (estimated)
- Ships built
- 0 (2 laid down 1939, construction cancelled, 4 planned but never started)
- Commissioned
- Never (construction cancelled September 1939)
- Decommissioned
- Never built
Performance
- Top speed
- 30 kn
- Range
- 19200 nm at 19 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- "8× 40.6cm SK C/34 guns" (4× twin turrets - 16-INCH!)
- Secondary guns
- "12× 15cm SK C/28 guns" (6× twin turrets planned)
- Torpedoes
- None (omitted for modern design)
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 320mm (12.6 inches)
- Deck
- 120-150mm (4.7-5.9 inches)
- Fire control
- Advanced optical rangefinders, radar planned
In-Game
- Tier
- T4
- Game power
- 91.1
- Research cost
- 32,067
- Credit cost
- 63,770
Notable
- **PLAN Z SUPER BATTLESHIP!** (Hitler's dream fleet!)
- **ACTUALLY LAID DOWN!** (2 ships, July-August 1939!)
- 56,444 tons standard, 62,497 tons full load (LARGER than Bismarck!)
- 6 ships planned (H, J, K, L, M, N)
- 8× 40.6cm (16") guns in 4× twin turrets (BIGGER than Bismarck's 15"!)
- 1,030 kg armor-piercing shells (+25% heavier than Bismarck!)
- 30 knots maximum speed (165,000 shp turbines)
- 9,300 nm range at 19 knots (estimated)
- Improved armor: 320mm belt, 380mm turrets (thicker than Bismarck!)
- Laid down July 15, 1939 ("H" at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg)
- Laid down August 15, 1939 ("J" at AG Weser, Bremen)
- ~2% complete when **CANCELLED** September 1939 (WWII outbreak!)
- Plan Z program: 6× H-class BBs, 3× O-class BCs, 4× carriers, etc.
- Plan Z timeline: 10-year program (1939-1949 planned completion)
- Plan Z cost: 33 billion Reichsmarks (astronomical!)
- **WWII REALITY**: All resources diverted to U-boats, tanks, aircraft!
- Materials reused for ~20-30 U-boats instead of 2× H-39 BBs
- Bismarck's loss (1941) proved surface fleet futility
- Dönitz argued U-boat priority (proved correct!)
- Would have been most powerful German BBs (if completed)
- Likely fate: Same as Bismarck/Tirpitz (sunk or bottled up)
- Germany lacked fuel for capital ship operations (chronic shortage)
- Air power would have destroyed them (RAF/USAAF)
- Plan Z: Hitler's fantasy vs WWII reality!