Question about the Bismark...?

[DrG]

Littorio had, in addition to her centerline rudder, a pair of rudders off-center. This seems to have worked pretty well. I think it was Vittorio Veneto that took an aerial torpedo hit in her stern and managed to make it back to port after strenuous crew efforts.

Yes, during the Battle of Cape Matapan, at 15:20 of 28 March 1941, 420 nm from Taranto (35°00' N, 22°01' E), a torpedo launched by a Fairey Albacore (then shot down during the action) from the carrier Formidable struck the Vittorio Veneto astern, near the outer propeller, on the port side. This caused a flooding of 4,000 t of water and the stop of the two pumps of the main rudder; at 15:30 the ship stopped. At 15:36 restarted, reaching 16 knots, then increased, since 17:30, to 19 knots. The only rudders working during the return to Taranto were the two auxiliaries.

[temujin77]

In the account I read, it indicates that the Bismark was by herself in the sea when she was attacked.

Where was the Prinz Eugen when Bismark was attacked? From my understanding that particular cruiser accompanied the Bismark on her sortie, sinking the Hood together. Where did she go when the Bismark was attacked? Back to port to resupply or repair?

[Tiornu]

Bismarck suffered three 14in hits at Denmark Strait. The damage was significant enough to disqualify Bismarck from her raiding mission. It was then decided that PE would continue the mission on her own while Bismarck diverted to France. (In fact, PE had also suffered some ice damage to her props. Additional propulsion problems, and perhaps the fact that many of the prepositioned supply ships had been neutralized by the British, ultimately caused her to go home as well, having intercepted no merchant ships. All a big waste.) Bismarck then doubled back to attack the cruisers shadowing her, and in the confusion, PE was able to break off undetected.
This was before any of the air attacks.

[temujin77]

That is very clear, thank you for the crash course on the end of Bismark's sortie. I just ordered Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers (the book.. i already have the miniseries on DVD), I think it's time for me to buy a couple of books on the Bismark

[Von Schadewald]

If Bismarck had made it back undamaged, apart from the leaking fuel, to France after sinking Hood, the RAF would be out for immediate blood.

Could she have got away with a near immediate "Cerberus" to get back to Germany? Or as a cause celebre, would the Luftwaffe bring to France massive numbers sufficient to protect her from the wrath of the British (who had no Lancasters in 1941)?