Battleships of the Bismarck Class: Warships of the Kriegsmarine

By Gerhard Koop and Klaus-Peter Schmolke

The warships of the World War II era German Navy are among the most popular subject in naval history with an almost uncountable number of books devoted to them. However, for a concise but authoritative summary of the design history and careers of the major surface ships it is difficult to beat a series of six volumes written by Gerhard Koop and illustrated by Klaus-Peter Schmolke. Each contains an account of the development of a particular class, a detailed description of the ships, with full technical details, and an outline of their service, heavily illustrated with plans, battle maps and a substantial collection of photographs. These have been out of print for ten years or more and are now much sought after by enthusiasts and collectors, so this new modestly priced reprint of the series will be widely welcomed.

The first volume, appropriately, is devoted to the Kriesmarine's largest and most powerful units, the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, whose careers stand in stark contrast to each other – one with a glorious but short life, while the other was to spend a hunted existence in Norwegian fjords, all the time posing a threat to Allied sea communications, while attacked by everything from midget submarines to heavy bombers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Feb 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781473846692

Reviews for Battleships of the Bismarck Class

[atticusfinch1048 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Battleships of the German Variety Battleships of the Bismarck Class is a well researched, with plans, diagrams and pictures of the two ships that are very well known to the English, the Bismarck and the Tirpitz. As someone who has a degree in history and like many others we know and have studied and debated by the warships of the Kriegsmarine. We may know the names and argue about whether it was right that the hunt that went on for both ships, others may have even see the films that have been made or viewed programmes on the History Channel. So what do we actually know about the Bismarck Class of ships? Me too, nothing.This is an interesting read with the plans and placement of both ships with the armaments and engine rooms, decks and all the engineering. This book also explains the origins to the naming of both ships so it gives the whole story and not just the well known parts.What makes this essential for historians and especially the naval historians is that this book really is the essential and most comprehensive work on the two famous battleships. The two ships that shaped a lot of thoughts about the strengths of the Kriegsmarine, and shaped their hunting down by the Royal Navy. We get both ship’s service history and there are over 200 photographs, plans and maps. This really is essential reading for all those who are enthralled by the Naval battles and Naval history.