Bismarck-class battleship
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The Bismarck class was a pair of fast battleships built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine shortly before the outbreak of World War II. The ships were the largest and most powerful warships built for the
Bismarck underway near Blankenese in 1940
The French battleship Richelieu in Dakar in 1940; the Bismarck-class battleships were ordered to counter Richelieu
Recognition drawing prepared by the US Navy
Bismarck in drydock, showing the three-shaft arrangement
Scharnhorst-class battleship
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The Scharnhorst class was a class of German battleships built immediately prior to World War II. The first capital ships of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, it comprised two vessels, Scharnhorst and Gneis
Bismarck-class battleship
…consisted of twelve 15 cm (5.9 in) SK C/28 guns mounted in six twin turrets. The 15 cm gun turrets were based on the single-gun turrets used aboard the Scharnhorst class. They could elevate to 40° and depress to −10°; they had a rate of fire of around six shots per minute. The 15 cm guns fired a 45.3 kg (100 lb) shell…
Illustration of the Scharnhorst class
Scharnhorst, before the fitting of the "Atlantic bow"
Scharnhorst's forward guns
Scharnhorst in harbor; the thickness of the armor belt is easily seen