SCHARNHORST
Foi um de dois cruzadores de batalha construídos para a Kriegsmarine. O seu irmão gémeo foi o
Gneisenau.
Entrou ao serviço em 07-01-39. Reconstruído entre Junho-Agosto de 1939, durante a qual foi-lhe colocada uma nova proa (Atlantic bow). Participou em diversas operações durante a 2ª Guerra, durante as quais, na companhia do
Gneisenau, afundou em 08-06-40, o porta-aviões britânico
Glorious e os destroyers
Acasta e
Ardent. Foi afundado na noite de 26-12-43, depois de uma batalha contra forças superiores britânicas. Só se salvaram 36 tripulantes de um total de 1.968 homens.
Características :
Displacement: standard 32,060 mt, full load 38,430 mt.
Dimensions: overall length 231 m, beam 30 m, maximum draft 9.9 m.
Armour: main belt 350 mm, turrets 100-340 mm, upper deck 50 mm, armour deck 80-110 mm, conning tower 200-350 mm, torpedo bulkhead 45 mm.
Armament: 9 x 28cm/L54.5, 12 x 15cm/L55, 14 x 10.5cm/L65, 16 x 3.7cm/L83, 14 x 2cm (38 from 1942 on), 6 x 53.3cm torpedoes (from 1942 on).
Aircraft: 3 x Arado ar 196.
Propulsion plant: 12 boilers, three Brown-Boveri turbine sets, 160,060 hp (maximum obtained).
Speed: 32 knots.
Endurance: 7,100 nm at 19 knots.
Fuel capacity: 6,108 mt.
Crew: 1,968.
26 December 1943: At 0834 is detected by the heavy cruiser
Norfolk from a distance of 30,000 meters (32,800 yards). Shortly afterwards the light cruisers
Belfast and
Sheffield of "Force I" (Vice-Admiral Burnett) also obtain contact. At 0924, the
Belfast opens fire on
Scharnhorst from 11,900 meters (13,000 yards), and is followed by
Norfolk at 0930.
Scharnhorst replies with her after turret but obtains no hits.
Scharnhorst is hit by two 20.3cm projectiles from
Norfolk. One shell strikes the battery deck but fails to explode. The other hits the foretop and disables the radar apparatus (FuMo 27).
Scharnhorst turns away southeast at 30 knots and then north again. Shortly after 1200, Scharnhorst runs once again into the cruisers of "Force I", and opens fire at about 1230 with her main and secondary batteries. In this second engagement, the
Norfolk is hit twice by 28cm shells. Turret "X" is put out of action after a hit in the barbette, while another shell disables the radars and kills seven men. The
Sheffield is hit by splinters. At 1241,
Scharnhorst turns away south and ceases fire. At 1617, the battleship
Duke of York of Force II (Admiral Fraser) obtains radar contact with
Scharnhorst from 42,500 meters (46,480 yards), and after closing the range to 10,900 meters (11,920 yards) opens fire at 1648. Almost immediately the
Scharnhorst is hit by a 35.6cm projectile in turret "Anton" which is put out of action. Another shell from
Duke of York demolishes the hangar. At 1657,
Belfast and
Norfolk open fire.
Scharnhorst is repeatedly hit but manages to increase the distance with "force II" to 19,600 meters (21,435 yards). At 1820, a 35.6cm projectile passes through
Scharnhorst's upper belt and reaches the No.1 Boiler room (section IX) that becomes a total loss. The speed drops to 22 knots. At 1850, the destroyers of "Force II" close on and obtain one torpedo hit on
Scharnhorst's starboard side and three more on the port side. Speed drops to 20 knots.
Duke of York and
Jamaica open fire again at 1901 from 9,600 meters (10,500 yards) obtaining numerous hits.
Scharhorst still fires back with turrets "Bruno" and "Cäsar" but obtains no hits. At 1912, the cruisers of "force I" open fire. Thereafter cruisers
Jamaica and
Belfast launch all their torpedoes, and destroyers
Musketeer,
Opportune and
Virago 19 more. The
Scharnhorst finally capsizes and sinks at 1945. 36 survivors.