Tirpitz (Bismarck-class - "The Lone Queen of the North"!)
FLEET IN BEING - 1941 Lone Queen of the North! - Sister ship to Bismarck. 42,900 tons, 30.1 kts, 8× 38cm (15") guns. Enhanced AA (70× 2cm vs Bismarck's 20!). 8× torpedo tubes (Bismarck had none!). Churchill: "The whole strategy of the war turns on this ship!" Norway deployment (Jan 1942 - Nov 1944). PQ-17 DISASTER (July 1942): Threat alone caused 24 of 35 ships sunk! NEVER FIRED ON ENEMY SHIPS! Ultimate "fleet in being"! Operation Source (Sept 22, 1943): X-craft midget subs placed 4-ton charges, severely damaged! Out of action 6 months. Operation Tungsten (April 1944): 15 bomb hits. Operation Catechism (Nov 12, 1944): 32× Lancasters, 3× Tallboy bombs (12,000 lbs!), magazine exploded, CAPSIZED 09:50 AM! 1,204 dead (trapped in hull!). Tied down British Home Fleet 3 years! Last German BB in WWII!
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 42900 t
- Displacement (full)
- 52600 (operational) t
- Length
- 792.7 ft
- Beam
- 118.1 ft
- Crew
- 2608 (108 officers + 2,500 men)
- Ships built
- 1 (sister ship to Bismarck)
- Commissioned
- 1941 (February 25, 1941)
- Decommissioned
- 1944 (sunk November 12, 1944)
Performance
- Top speed
- 30 kn
- Range
- 8870 nm at 19 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- "8× 38cm SK C/34 guns" (4× twin turrets - 15-INCH!)
- Secondary guns
- "12× 15cm SK C/28 guns" (6× twin turrets)
- Torpedoes
- "8× 53.3cm torpedo tubes" (2× quadruple mounts - MORE than Bismarck!)
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 320mm (12.6 inches - same as Bismarck)
- Deck
- 100-120mm (same as Bismarck)
- Fire control
- Advanced fire control, improved from Bismarck lessons
In-Game
- Tier
- T3
- Game power
- 54.56
- Research cost
- 10,803
- Credit cost
- 38,192
Notable
- **"FLEET IN BEING"!** (Threat alone tied down Royal Navy!)
- **CHURCHILL: "The whole strategy of the war turns on this ship!"**
- Sister ship to Bismarck (launched April 1, 1939)
- Commissioned February 25, 1941 (2 months before Bismarck sank!)
- 42,900 tons standard, 52,600 tons full load (slightly heavier than Bismarck)
- Enhanced AA: 70× 2cm guns (vs Bismarck's 20!)
- 8× torpedo tubes (vs Bismarck's none!)
- Norway deployment (January 1942 - November 1944)
- Hid in Norwegian fjords (Fættenfjord, Kåfjord, Tromsø)
- **PQ-17 CONVOY DISASTER** (July 1942): Threat alone caused 24 of 35 ships sunk!
- **NEVER FIRED ON ENEMY SHIPS!** (Ultimate "fleet in being"!)
- **Operation Source** (September 22, 1943): X-craft midget submarines!
- X-6 & X-7 placed 4-ton charges, severely damaged Tirpitz!
- Out of action 6 months (September 1943 - March 1944)
- Operation Tungsten (April 3, 1944): Fleet Air Arm, 15 bomb hits
- Moved to Tromsø (October 15, 1944) - final anchorage
- **Operation Catechism** (November 12, 1944): FINAL ATTACK!
- 32× Lancaster bombers, 617 & 9 Squadrons
- **12,000-lb TALLBOY BOMBS!** (Barnes Wallis design!)
- Hit by **3× Tallboy bombs** - catastrophic!
- Magazine "C" exploded, **CAPSIZED** 09:50 AM!
- **1,204 DEAD** (of 1,700 crew) - many trapped in hull!
- Partial salvage 1948-1957, sections remain as memorial
- Survived 3+ years vs Bismarck's 8 days
- Classic "fleet in being" - tied down entire British Home Fleet!
- Churchill personally obsessed with destroying her
- Proved air power could destroy any battleship!
- **Last German battleship to see WWII service!**