How Was The Bismarck Sunk? | Hitler's Lost Battleship

'How Was The Bismarck Sunk? | Hitler's Lost Battleship'

How did a squadron of British Swordfish torpedo bombers manage to disable the most formidable battleship of the Second World War?

After the devastating loss of HMS Hood, the Royal Navy became solely focused on one objective, sinking the Bismarck. The flagship of the German Kriegsmarine had not survived completely unscathed from the initial exchange with the Hood and HMS Prince of Wales. It had suffered one blow. A shell had pierced her armour towards the bow, severing the connection between Bismarck's forward fuel tanks. She was now haemorrhaging fuel, leaving a trail of oil behind her.

Despite this fact, Bismarck was still able to out outmanoeuvre her pursuers and head straight for the port of Brest in northern France, where she would be protected by an air umbrella of Luftwaffe aircraft. It was only on the 26 May, that she was finally sited by a Catalina flying boat flown by Ensign Leonard B. Smith. The Royal Navy would have to act fast as Bismarck was less than 800 miles away from the port.

Tasked with immobilising the Bismarck were a squadron of British Swordfish torpedo bombers. After a one-in-a-million torpedo strike, dropped by pilot Kenneth Pattisson, hit the German flagship and jammed her rudders, the momentum shifted heavily in favour of the British. Now incapable of reaching Brest, it was up to the tailing British battlecruisers HMS King George V and Rodney to sink the pride of the German Kriegsmarine.

Featuring Andrew Choong, curator at the National Maritime Museum, naval historian Nick Hewitt and Angus Konstam, author of 'Hunt the Bismarck'. Presented by Dan Snow.

#historyhit #dansnow #bismarck

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[terrywilliams]

Between the sinking of the HOOD and the BISMARK, thousands of young lives were lost. How incredibly sad.

[Dave-dm]

Thank you Dan for not saying Swordfish was obsolete. These planes were contemporary with the Hawker Hurricane and early Messerschmitt 109. They had a powerful engine and were they only type capable of operating in North Atlantic weather. Bismarck hit them numerous times. Some air crew were shot. But even explosive shells went straight through leaving minimal damage. These seemingly elderly aircraft were the perfect tools with the technology then available.

[enoughothis]

The irony of Germany's most advanced battleship being crippled by a slow, wood and canvas biplane is beautiful. The swordfish torpedo bombers were so slow that the German gunners couldn't accurately target them, and when they did hit the shells would pass right through the canvas without exploding.

[danwallach]

All the Swordfish crews on that last attack deserve credit for disabling Bismarck's rudder.
Just like all the P-38s attacking Yamamoto's plane deserve credit.
Sure, somebody got in the lucky shot.
But it took all of them to deliver it.
Thank you, air crews!

[Jmpnb]

In the description it should be noted that HMS Rodney and HMS King George V are described as battle cruisers. They were indeed fully fitted out battleships able to slug it out with Bismarck as needed. While not as bulky as Bismarck the pair were considerably better armed and protected than Hood and the still working up Prince of Wales, and their cruiser complement.

[julielevinge]

Always makes my heart sink to hear how many lives were lost on all these boats on both sides.

[LordKingPotato]

Imagine hearing a full salvo from HMS Rodney, those 16 inch shells weighing over a 1 ton each slamming into Bismarck!

[anselmdanker]

Force H is the British fast carrier task force.
The Fairey Swordfish is armed with most potent anti shipping weapon, the British airborne torpedo which is better than the American airborne torpedo. Only the Japanese airborne torpedo was superior.
The British battle ship HMS Rodney had the most powerful naval artillery in the Royal Navy 2000 pounds per shell.Her shells tore through the Bismarck 's 14 inch armour on the turret and the conning tower.And she was shooting without radar at Bismarck in a sea state between 4 and 5.Magnificent shooting. 😃

[douglassauvageau]

Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is a potent force-enabler.

[toats-mcgoats]

Dan is such an incredible history host! Thanks Dan and team!!

[JohnDoe-txlq]

well it wasn't a "one in a million shot", was it! 🤔 10:31
They where trained pilots with anti-ship torpedos who's only job on that mission was to hit the Bismarck, to damage it in anyway they could. They weren't vaguely flying around the sea and just happen to randomly hit a vital part of a ship! 😆

[photoisca]

I do love the way that credit for spotting Bismarck is given to the pilot because he was American. The Catalina had a crew of five, including two dedicated observers seated in special bubble canopies, whereas the pilots were sitting in what amounts to a dugout with very limited vision. Who do the readers think had the better chance of sighting a grey ship on a dark grey sea?

[marblox]

The Swordfish were like the old cars - super simple but overall much cheaper to maintain and effective.

[jetsons]

The free world owes its freedoms to the Greatest Generation, the men and women that fought in WWII. To keep our freedoms be careful who you vote for. SOS from America.

[jonnystage]

Is there a way of finding out who was involved in the raid? My grandfather was a Swordfish radio operator and gunner on HMS Ark Royal and it's so difficult to find out more on the crews, the squadrons etc. Any recommendations most welcome!!

[thomaspearson]

David the Sword fish, and Goliath the Bismark.

[serget]

If you like WW1 OR WW2 you will be amazed by the content on Tino lost battle fields on YouTube a great guy also

[richardbaxter]

Completely misses the importance of the mistaken attack on Sheffield. The Torpedos were not magnetic but their fuses were. These fuses were faulty and caused the dropped torpedos to explode on impact with the sea, which the aircrew noticed. On return to the Ark, this fault was remedied by getting rid of the magnetic fuses and replacing them with “on contact” fuses.
Had the original raid gone in 1. The torpedoes would have never got to Bismarck and 2. There would not have been time to get back to the Ark, reload and go

[anti-Russia-sigma]

As the RN also changed the torpedo type when they rearmed, they were lucky.

[bstang]

I'm here for the survivors of the Bismarck. They put up a great fight.