The Bismarck 1941: Hunting Germany's greatest battleship

by Angus Konstam, Paul Wright (Illustrator)

Overview

The break of the German battleship Bismarck into the North Atlantic in May 1941 was one of the most dramatic episodes of World War II. It began with a battle between the Bismarck and the British battleship Prince of Wales and the heavy cruiser Hood. The Hood was blown to pieces, while the battered Prince of Wales managed to escape. The British then focused all of their resources on hunting the mighty German battleship and eventually brought her down.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782008439
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/20/2012
Series:	Campaign , #232
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Angus Konstam hails from the Orkney Islands, and is the author of over 50 history books, 30 of which have been published by Osprey. This acclaimed author has written several maritime histories, including Sovereigns of the Sea, The Battle of North Cape, Piracy: The Complete History and the Naval Miscellany. A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator of Weapons at the Royal Armouries in the Tower of London and as the Chief Curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now works as a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, in Scotland. For more information visit www.anguskonstam.com

Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specializing in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. Paul's art has illustrated the works of Patrick O'Brien, Dudley Pope and C. S. Forester amongst others, and hangs in many corporate and private collections all over the world. A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Paul lives and works in Surrey.
Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, who has worked in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.
Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specializing in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. Paul's art has illustrated the works of Patrick O'Brian, Dudley Pope and C.S. Forester amongst others, and hangs in many corporate and private collections all over the world. A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Paul lives and works in Surrey.

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

Chronology 8

Origins of the Campaign 10

Opposing Commanders 15

Royal Navy

Kriegsmarine

Opposing Fleets 19

Royal Navy

Kriegsmarine

Opposing Plans 26

Royal Navy

Kriegsmarine

The Campaign 30

The break-out

The battle of the Denmark Strait

The pursuit

The last battle

Aftermath 88

The Shipwreck 92

Bibliography 94

Index 95

Editorial Reviews

Konstam sheds new light on Bismarck's extensive armor systems and armament, British efforts to locate their quarry despite seemingly impossible odds, and the Nazi battleship's ultimate defeat. His book features more than 60 photographs drawn from museums and private collections, plus a few striking illustrations by Paul Wright.” —Toy Soldier & Model Figure (August 2011)

“Konstam provides a basic yet sensible introduction to the topic and situates the Bismarck campaign in its historical context ... the selected illustrations and photographs ... complement the text nicely...” —Christopher Kretzschmar, The Northern Mariner

From the Publisher