It is time for these vessels to be brought up to current standards in their electronic systems.
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Bismarck, German Battleship laid down 1933
Displacement: 39,958 t light; 41,995 t standard; 45,734 t normal; 48,725 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
825.37 ft / 803.81 ft x 108.27 ft x 31.99 ft (normal load) [251.57 m / 245.00 m x 33.00 m x 9.75 m]
Armament:
9 - 14.96" / 380 mm guns (3x3 guns), 1,984.16lbs / 900.00kg shells, 1933 Model Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes) on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (4x3 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1928 Model Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes) on side ends, evenly spread
2 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns (1x2 guns), 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1928 Model Dual purpose guns in a deck mount with hoist on centreline aft, all raised guns - superfiring
16 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns (8x2 guns), 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1928 Model Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
16 - 2.17" / 55.0 mm guns in single mounts, 5.08lbs / 2.30kg shells, 1945 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 19,810 lbs / 8,986 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100
Armour:
Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 16.5" / 420 mm 490.32 ft / 149.45 m 13.94 ft / 4.25 m
Ends: 2.76" / 70 mm 313.45 ft / 95.54 m 15.58 ft / 4.75 m
Upper: 2.76" / 70 mm 490.32 ft / 149.45 m 1.64 ft / 0.50 m
Main Belt covers 94 % of normal length
Torpedo Bulkhead: 1.97" / 50 mm 490.32 ft / 149.45 m 29.79 ft / 9.08 m
Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 19.7" / 500 mm 9.45" / 240 mm 13.8" / 350 mm
2nd: 4.72" / 120 mm 2.76" / 70 mm 4.72" / 120 mm
3rd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
4th: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
5th: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
Armour deck: 5.12" / 130 mm, Conning tower: 14.96" / 380 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines plus diesel motors, Electric motors, 4 shafts, 106,769 shp / 79,649 Kw = 28.00 kts
Range 12,500nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 6,729 tons
Complement: 1,563 - 2,032
Cost: £17.119 million / $68.475 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,128 tons, 4.7 %
Armour: 16,676 tons, 36.5 %
- Belts: 5,518 tons, 12.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,064 tons, 2.3 %
- Armament: 3,549 tons, 7.8 %
- Armour Deck: 6,132 tons, 13.4 %
- Conning Tower: 412 tons, 0.9 %
Machinery: 3,111 tons, 6.8 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,773 tons, 38.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,776 tons, 12.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 270 tons, 0.6 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 73,701 lbs / 33,430 Kg = 44.0 x 15.0 " / 380 mm shells or 12.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.08
Metacentric height 6.5 ft / 2.0 m
Roll period: 17.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.66
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.21
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.575
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.42 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 32.87 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 48 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 58
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 31.66 ft / 9.65 m
- Forecastle (22 %): 20.51 ft / 6.25 m
- Mid (50 %): 20.51 ft / 6.25 m
- Quarterdeck (17 %): 20.51 ft / 6.25 m
- Stern: 20.51 ft / 6.25 m
- Average freeboard: 21.49 ft / 6.55 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 72.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 161.8 %
Waterplane Area: 64,767 Square feet or 6,017 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 114 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 206 lbs/sq ft or 1,007 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.18
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily
Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weight
Aircraft and aviation equipment - 80 tons
Flag Accommodations - 40 tons
Surface search radar - 50 tons
Gunnery radars HA/LA - 100
Minor Refit - 5%
Replace 37mm LAA with new 55mm AA
Add radar
Cost 1,998 tons; time for refit - 74 days.