Naval History Forums

My interest started when I was about 12 (way back in 1960 or so) when my parents gave me a book written by a German Journalist named Will Berthold called 'The Sinking of the Bismarck' (it was English translated) and since then the subject has always 'grabbed' me. In the book a picture of the Hood blowing up is clearly in fact that of the Barham, but if I can allow for Jornalistic licence the description of the last 2 hours of what it was like on the Bismarck were horrific...as war is.

Indeed they do.

I think I discovered my infatuation for Bismarck after watching the movie "Sink the Bismarck". Perhaps it sounds slightly too obvious, but everyone starts somewhere.

Jagdboot

steffen19k wrote:I know you're probably wondering how comparing a battleship to a tank has any effect on anything, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

An interesting concept. But I would make the observation that not even the Heer could dream up a tank with four turrets instead of one.....

my daughter was born on the 27 may and i collect militaria !

My interest in the Bismarck stems from Tanks, or Landships.

I would have to say that reviewing battleships, and abstracting that into tank design has had a significant effect on the way I view any armor, fire control, or gun system.

I know you're probably wondering how comparing a battleship to a tank has any effect on anything, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

When I was four I remember playing with my dad's model ships and having him tell me the stories about each of them. The one model that he wouldn't let me play with though was Bismarck, unless he was playing with me. He told me the story, read me Ballard's book, and then I read William Shirer's book "The Sinking of the Bismarck". Since then, it has been one of my all-time favorite subjects and I have created several projects throughout school about Bismarck. I am now preparing to build my own model of Bismarck (1/350 Tamiya) and working on a 20-page essay regarding Bismarck.

Not for Bismarck at least.

I first read about bismarck in a issue of National Geographic magazine when I was a kid. Since then I have tried to learn as much information on it as I am able to find, but the info trail never seems to stop.

Numerical inferiority indeed - but Bismarck faced numerical inferiority exactly seventy years ago today and spectaculary came up trumps......

Numerical inferiority.

mike kemble wrote:I rather think that, whilst the Bismarck was a marvellous piece of marine engineering...... As with Prince of Wales and Repulse and the Yamato, her nemesis was - AIRCRAFT.

in Bismarck's case an inability to steer with propellers alone, for which there would have been a clean escape, was the true nemesis. Plus lack of supporting forces. In fact the lack of supporting forces is the common factor in the loss of all these ships, rather than just enemy air attack per se.

I rather think that, whilst the Bismarck was a marvellous piece of marine engineering, interest was rekindled thanks to Ballard and his historical undersea explorations. Other than that Bismarck was just 'another piece of WW2 memorabilia'. I built a Bismarck model many years ago as a young lad and was captivated by its design and 'beauty'. And my interest, whilst dimmed, was never diminished. She was without doubt a beautiful ship but was, as with all other capital ships, at the end of her days before she began. As with Prince of Wales and Repulse and the Yamato, her nemesis was - AIRCRAFT.

I first became interested in the Bismarck when my Grandfather showed me his medals these include the Distinguished Service Medal he received for the Bismarck action he being LSBA on the Battleship HMS Prince of Wales and watched the whole action before being the first person on the shattered bridge of the Prince of Wales after it was hit by a shell ....not supriseingly I was captivated.

Martyn.

I became interested for a varity of reasons. First, I loved history, especially military history. While my interest was mainly landbased, I became interested in the Bismarck after seeing the film "Sink the Bismarck" (and hearing the popular song by the same name on the radio). Also, I suppose, because I was interested in her namesake, Otto Bismarck. Then, I learned I was related to one of her crew members, Werner Hosse. A little later, I bought a model of the Bismarck and Hood. I painstakingly painted both and kept them high on my bookself with my "prized" possessions...my books. When I grew older, I joined the Navy.