Battleships (WW 2) - Germany: Illustrated History Books & Guides

Battleships of the Scharnhorst Class (Warships of the Kriegsmarine)

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the subject of this volume, were the product of a long, involved and politically determined design process that saw them develop from an improved Pocket Battleship to what many described as a battlecruiser, although they were really fast battleships. They were the most active, and successful, of the Kriegesmarine's major warships, taking part in numerous famous operations, including the infamous 'Channel Dash'.

This book belongs to a series of six volumes "Warships of the Kriegsmarine", 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.

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British Battleship vs German Battleship : 1941-43 (Osprey)

At the outbreak of World War II, the four key Capital German ships comprised the Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Their primary threats where the Royal Navy's King George V class battleships, the most modern British battleships in commission during World War II and some of the Navy's most powerful vessels.

Five ships of this class were built: HMS King George V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Howe (late 1942) and Anson (late 1942). The powerful vessels in this class would clash with the pride of the Kriegsmarine in two major engagements: first, during the Battle of the Denmark Strait and subsequent pursuit of the Bismarck between 24 and 27 May 1941, and again at the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December 1943.

Alongside the King George V class, the Royal Navy's two- ship Nelson-class (Nelson and Rodney), comprised Britain's only other battleships built in the interwar years. Both ships served extensively in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian oceans during the war, but their moment of fame came when Rodney (together with King George V) chased down and bombarded the doomed Bismarck in May 1941.

This superbly detailed addition to the Duel series compares and contrasts the design and development of these opposing capital ships, and describes the epic clashes on the high seas that ended with the destruction of the Kriegsmarine's major naval assets.

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German Battleships 1939-45 (Osprey)

In this, the first of a five volume series covering the capital ships of the German Navy of World War II, Gordon Williamson examines the design, development and operational use of the battleships used by the Kriegsmarine.
The 'Schlesien' and 'Schleswig-Hostein' were used mostly as training ships until the end of the war when they took part in bombardment of Soviet troop movements in East Prussia.
The 'Scharnhorst' had a successful career until her sinking at the battle of the North Cape, and the 'Gneisenau' with her ignominious end as a block-ship.
Bismarck's short but glorious career and Tirpitz's lonely vigil in Norway's distant Fjords until sunk by RAF bombers using the massive 'Tallboy' bombs are also covered.

Contents: introduction - The Dreadnoughts - The Scharnhorst class - The Bismarck class - Fire control - rangefinding - Radar - Colour plate commentary - Index .

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German Pocket Battleships 1939-45 - 'Deutschland', 'Admiral Graf Spee' and 'Admiral Scheer' (Osprey)

After the end of World War I, the German Navy came up with the concept of the Panzerschiffe, or Pocket Battleship, as a method of circumventing treaty limitations on the size and types of ship Germany was permitted to build.
New, more modern production methods, where welded construction prevailed over the older riveting process, were combined with the development of modern engines capable of fast speeds and a very powerful armament, far superior to that on any enemy Cruisers.

This book covers these three sister ships, the 'Deutschland', the 'Admiral Graf Spee' and the 'Admiral Scheer', which formed the core of the Kriegsmarine's fighting power at the start of World War II.

Contents: Introduction - Design and Development - Operational History - The Variants - Further Reading - Colour plate commentary - Index.

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Pocket Battleships of the Deutschland Class (Warships of the Kriegsmarine)

This volume covers the three ships of a design so revolutionary that it defied conventional categories. Deutschland (later renamed Lützow), Admiral Scheer and Admiral Graf Spee were simply termed Panzerschiffe (armoured ships) by the Germans, but they were known to their opponents by the far more evocative term Pocket Battleships.

This book belongs to a series of six volumes "Warships of the Kriegsmarine", 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.

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River Plate 1939 : The Sinking of the Graf Spee (Osprey)

Days before the outbreak of World War II a handful of German commerce raiders put out to sea to prey on Allied merchantmen. Amongst them was the Panzerschiff ('armoured ship') Graf Spee, a formidable warship that boasted the firepower of a battleship but the size, speed and range of a cruiser.

When World War II commenced, under the command of Captain Langsdorff the Graf Spee began a hunting spree across the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean that eventual took her to the River Plate in search of her next victim - an Allied convoy.
Instead she found three Royal Navy cruisers under the command of Commodore Harwood, eager to put an end to the 'pocket battleship' that had been terrorizing Allied merchant ships.

Featuring full colour artwork, archive photographs and meticulous research, this comprehensive volume explores the thrilling story behind the Battle of the River Plate, an engagement that unquestionably demonstrated the effectiveness of British seapower and diplomacy on an international stage.

Contents: Origins of the Campaign - Opposing Commanders - Opposing Fleets - Opposing Plans - Campaign - Battle - Action - Aftermath - Conclusion - Vessels today - Chronology - Bibliography.

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Super-Battleships of World War II: Montana-class, Lion-class, H-class, A-150 and Sovetsky Soyuz-class (Osprey)

At the start of World War II the battleship was still king, and all the major powers were designing even mightier battleships to surpass their most modern and powerful classes. But when World War II broke out, aircraft carriers would dominate naval warfare, and none of these monster warships were completed.

In this book, naval expert Mark Stille uncovers these lost battleships as they are reconstructed with superb new full-colour artwork. The US Navy wanted five Montana-class ships, based on the Iowas but with a heavier main battery and improved protection, and the Royal Navy began work on three 16in-gun Lion-class fast battleships.
The German Navy developed its H-class designs: initially an improved Bismack-class, they became more fantastical, culminating in the 141,500-ton, 20in-gun H-44. The Japanese A-150 was based on the Yamato-class but with 20.1in guns, while the 15 ships planned for the USSR's Sovetsky Soyuz-class would have rivalled the Montanas in size.
Explaining the design, intended roles and fate of these ships, this is the story of the last battleship designs in history.

Contents:
- Introduction
- Battleship design practices
- Protection
- Propulsion
- Firepower
- The super-battleship classes
- The United States Navy - the Montana-class
- The Royal Navy - the Lion-class
- The Kriegsmarine - the H-class
- The Imperial Japanese Navy - Design A-150
- The Soviet Navy - the Sovetsky Soyuz - class
- Analysis and conclusion
- Further reading
- Index.

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The Battleship Scharnhorst (Anatomy of the Ship)

The Kriegsmarine's Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, described either as a battleship or battlecruiser, and the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. She was launched on 3 October 1936 and completed in January 1939, armed with nine 28cm C/34 guns in three triple turrets.

She operated with Gneisenau for much of the early portion of World War II, including sorties into the Atlantic to raid British merchant shipping. They took part in Operation Weserubung (April-June 1940), the German invasion of Norway, during which they sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her escort destroyers Acasta and Ardent. Scharnhorst also sank HMS Rawalpindi in November 1939.

In early 1943, Scharnhorst joined the Tirpitz in Norway to intercept Allied convoys to the Soviet Union. On a sortie from Norway to attack a convoy, the German force was intercepted by British ships and during the Battle of the North Cape (26 December 1943), HMS Duke of York and her escorts sank Scharnhorst. Most of her crew was lost.

This is the most comprehensive examination of Scharnhorst ever published, drawing on new research and technology to tell the full story of the ship.
It includes a complete set of detailed line drawings with fully descriptive keys and full-colour 3D artwork, supported by technical details, photographs, and text on the building of the ship, as well as a record of her service history.

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The German Battleship Gneisenau

This book covers the development and use of the battleship Gneisenau during WWII.

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The German Navy at War 1935-1945 (Volume 1) - The Battleships

Covers all of the main German battleships of WWII, including Bismarck, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Tirpitz and other big ships in over 300 photos.

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Scharnhorst und Gneisenau - Die Bildchronik 1939-1945

The battleships "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" were the largest units of the German Navy after the "Bismarck" and "Tirpitz". After successful missions against the British merchant marine and the Royal Navy, the two sister ships became increasingly hunted.

Pages of the book "Scharnhorst und Gneisenau - Die Bildchronik 1939-1945"

In this illustrated chronicle, Holger Nauroth tells the gripping story of the two German battleships from their commissioning, their hunt for Allied convoys, their breakthrough through the Channel (Operation Cerberus) to their respective end. Over 400 rare historical images illustrate the events.

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