Tirpitz sailor

[temujin77]

Hey guys,

New to the forums here, just want to say hello first of all

I have always been a big fan of ships. I'm building a WW2 related website (with a impossibly huge scope, but I like a challenge), in which it contains this photograph of a sailor aboard the Tirpitz which I have always found very amusing. I thought I'd share with you all here so you can all enjoy it:

http://www.ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=349

Pete

[varjag]

Welcome to the forum temujin and thanks for sharing the picture. Your keen young modeller seems to have already finished the job - when some Kriegsberichter heard about the model and demanded a moral-raising picture. The scale seems to be 1:200 and given the resources of wood and ply - the proud builder's done a fair job. He had at least ONE advantage over todays breed - he didn't have to ask for a colour-scheme; he could use 'original colours'.
Can anyone identify exactly WHERE on the TIRPITZ's deck the pic was taken? And what are the spirally(?) serrated cylinders in the background? Bollards?

[Navy]

The photo was taken on the backboard side astern back of turret Dora.
I dont know the funktion of the 4 cylinders (maybe ventilators) but between of each pair of cylinders you can see a winch.

[varjag]

Thanks Navy for that post. Yes - I'd go along with ventilators of some kind as bollards usually are located closer to the decks edge. And whatta NICE MODEL? Yours? Backbord is port in English....rgds, Varjag

[Navy]

@verjag:
No, its not my model. Its a pic from the www. I can´t find a pic of this section from the original ship in my books.

[temujin77]

Thanks for the welcome!

I must say I'm so impressed by the quickness of spotting the exact location where the sailor was in the picture! I've been a fan of ships on the Pacific side of the war (I mean how can the beautiful superstructure of the Japanese ships not capture any navy enthusiasts hearts?), and it is only recently I started to study more about ships that served in the Atlantic. Bismark and Tirpitz, naturally, were the firsts to catch my eye. Prinz Eugen, also, is quite a handsome cruiser as well.

[Christian W.]

Wonder what happened to the sailor and the model he build. Did they go under the sea with Tirpitz.. :roll: Who knows.

[Navy]

@temujin77:

Tirpitz never served in the Atlantic. The ship had (has) the knickname "Queen of north". It was the fear of the allied that Tirpitz make a brake through to the Atlantic like the Bismarck.

Gretting

Navy

[varjag]

@temujin77:

Tirpitz never served in the Atlantic. The ship had (has) the knickname "Queen of north". It was the fear of the allied that Tirpitz make a brake through to the Atlantic like the Bismarck.

Gretting

Navy

Navy - that is not entirely correct. TIRPITZ was out in the Atlantic west of Westfiord in Norway on 09.02.1942 in operation 'Sportpalast' when she was spotted and attacked by 12 Fairey ALBACORES from HMS VICTORIOUS. They shot down two - but got one hell of a fright (remembering BISMARCK) and never ventured that way again.

[Navy]

Shame over me. Of course is this water part of the Atlantic.
Please excuse this bad mistake. But for a little excuse for myself, if we are speaking about the break through to the Atlantik we mean the waters south of island and between America and south africa.

[temujin77]

If it will ease the tension slightly... By "Atlantic" I mean the naval actions in the European theater, not literally the Atlantic Ocean itself, so Tirpitz served in that theater.

Why was such a majestic ship (pride of the German navy, I'm certain) serve way up north near Norway during the war? I'm not an expert of the naval matters in the European Theater, but I'd imagine you probably want that ship near an important port on the French coast to prevent an Allied landing (but of course Operation Overlord never targeted a port city, but the Germans did not know that)... Was Norway's waters that important for the Germans as well? What kind of strategic advantage does that part of the waters hold?

[Navy]

There are many differten reasons why Tirpitz served in the waters of Norway. One reason was to attack the allied convoys to Murmansk.
Another reason was the sinking of Bismarck. That was a shock for the Germans. Not only for the military also for the people. One fear of the german leader was to lost a second great ship. If the Tirpitz break trough to the open Atlantic, the ship must come home with a break through into the other direction. And that without protection from Luftwaffe and other german ships. That is an very dangerous operation.
Why not french ports?: Operation "Cerberus"; Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen and Scharnhost were ordered back to Germany (this operation had also many different reasons) . And the french harbours were under increasing attack of the Royal Air Force.
Another important reason: Hitler was not a friend of the Kriegsmarine, espacialy not of the heavy cruisers and battleships.
And last not least the supply situation. One of this ships needed a lot of fuel if they are on a great ride.

This is only a superfical overview.