How a single torpedo strike doomed the pride of the German Kriegsmarine
In short: Following the sinking of HMS Hood, the Royal Navy launched a desperate mission to destroy the Bismarck. This documentary examines the final hours of the German battleship, detailing the critical damage that left her vulnerable and the pivotal air strike that sealed her fate.
After the Bismarck damaged the HMS Hood, she was forced to retreat toward the port of Brest, France, while leaking fuel from a shell hit. On May 26, a Catalina flying boat piloted by Ensign Leonard B. Smith located the ship, which was then less than 800 miles from safety.
The turning point occurred when a British Swordfish torpedo bomber, piloted by Kenneth Pattisson, struck the Bismarck and jammed her rudders. This maneuverability loss prevented the ship from reaching the protection of the Luftwaffe, leaving her exposed to the British battlecruisers HMS King George V and Rodney. The documentary features analysis from experts including Andrew Choong, Nick Hewitt, and Angus Konstam.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sink The Bismarck: Inside The Final Hours Of Hitler’s Greatest Battleship
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