Why did the crew dump the Arado Ar196 aircraft?

[Stefan7litre]

Was the Arado Ar196 carrying an enigma machine or were there secret blue prints are documents on board? Maybe the Bismarck had been transporting an atomic device, similar to the mission carried out by the USS Indianapolis in 1945.

[alecsandros]

IIRC, Because it was damaged by splinters from the 3rd 14" shell hit from the PRince of Wales.
They tried to launch it to send the Bismarck official log and other documnts into France, but they couldn't launch it because of the damage...

[paulcadogan]

IIRC, Because it was damaged by splinters from the 3rd 14" shell hit from the PRince of Wales.
They tried to launch it to send the Bismarck official log and other documnts into France, but they couldn't launch it because of the damage...

Not exactly....it was the catapult that had been damaged, not the aircraft. In an attempt to save Bismarck's War Diary, the aircraft was made ready for launch but nothing happened..this was when they discovered the catapult was defective, possibly due the the splinters from the service boat hit by PoW. The aircraft, loaded with fuel, was a fire hazard in the expected battle so it was rolled over the side... (as described by the Baron).

Ironically PoW also tossed her Walrus during the DS battle for the same reason...

[RF]

? Maybe the Bismarck had been transporting an atomic device, similar to the mission carried out by the USS Indianapolis in 1945.

Why??

[Stefan7litre]

Fire hazard makes sense if it was loaded with fuel and catapult was damaged.