German battleship Tirpitz

Tirpitz was a Bismarck class battleship and the sister ship of the German Kriegsmarine battleship Bismarck. Tirpitz was launched 1 April 1939, and named after Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz. She was deployed in a similar to the Bismarck manner, as a commerce raider to be sent against Allied merchant shipping in the North Atlantic.

Related Topics:
''Bismarck'' class battleship - German - Kriegsmarine - Battleship - ''Bismarck'' - 1 April - 1939 - Admiral - Alfred von Tirpitz - Commerce raider

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As a result of the Arctic convoys and the Commando raid on Vågsøy Tirpitz was sent to Norwegian waters where she spent most of World War II in the fjords. She made three offensive sorties; an attempt to interdict convoy PQ12 in March 1942 (Operation Sportpalast), a similar attempt against PQ17 in July 1942 (Operation Rösselsprung) and a raid on Spitsbergen in September 1943 (Operation Sizilien). She acted as a fleet in being tying up Royal Navy resources and the decision was taken to sink her while she was in port. The first attempt was a very risky operation. In Operation Source British X class midget submarines planted explosive charges beneath Tirpitz in September 1943. This succeeded in disabling Tirpitz. After she was repaired she was attacked by carrier borne aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, which only did superficial damage.

Related Topics:
Arctic convoys - Commando raid on Vågsøy - Norwegian - World War II - Fjord - March - 1942 - PQ17 - July - Spitsbergen - September - 1943 - Fleet in being - Royal Navy - X class - Midget submarines - Fleet Air Arm

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She was finally sunk immediately to the west of Tromsø, in the bay of Håkøybotn, on 12 November 1944 by Avro Lancasters of RAF 617 and 9 Squadrons equipped with Barnes Wallis' 5 tonne Tallboy bombs on their third attempt. The first attempt had been in launched via a refuelling stop in Russia. On that occasion a smokescreen had successfully protected the Tirpitz from all but one of the bombs. When she was moved further south, she was placed within range of operations from Scotland and the smokescreen was not active on the third attempt. Struck by the bombs she capsized. Close to 1000 German sailors died.

Related Topics:
Tromsø - 12 November - 1944 - Avro Lancaster - RAF - 617 - 9 - Barnes Wallis' - Tallboy bombs - Scotland

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She was titled the "lonely Queen of the North" by the Norwegians ("Ensom Dronning") because she most of the time lacked the necessary Consort ships to operate successfully.

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Postwar, the wreck was sold off and broken up in situ by a Norwegian company. Nearly the entire ship was cut up and hauled away, however a large portion of the bow remains where it sank in 1944. Also nearby are artificial lakes around the shore, caused by Tallboy bombs that missed their target.

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