German Navy

German battleship Tirpitz

Bundesarchiv**

View of one of the four battery turrets of the Bismark-class German Battleship Tirpitz with 381-mm guns, followed by escort support ships. In September - October 1941, the battleship was part of the Baltic Fleet (Baltenflotte) Kriegsmarine (Navy) created to prevent a possible breakout attempt by the Soviet Baltic Fleet. On 12 November 1944, British Lancaster bombers equipped with 12,000-pound (5,400 kg) "Tallboy" bombs scored two direct hits and a near miss which caused the ship to capsize rapidly. A deck fire spread to the ammunition magazine for one of the main battery turrets, which caused a large explosion.