Scharnhorst

229,8 m (234,9 m since 1939)Overall length

38900 tMaximum displacement

31,65knMaximum speed

1669 - 1840Complement

Design and service

The story of Scharnhorst

After the construction of the first three Panzerschiffe (Panzerschiff A-C: Deutschland, Admiral Scheer and Admiral Graf Spee) various plans for their successors were made. Projects ranged from only slightly modified designs, increased main artillery (like 30 cm guns), ships that later could refitted with a third turret or Panzerschiffe with steam engines. The developers first weren't allowed to increase the size of the ships, so all projects sooner or later lead into a quite similar design as the older Panzerschiffe.

Only after a significant grow in size was allowed, the final development of the Scharnhorst class started. Although often called "battlecruisers", those ships were officially labeled as "battleships". In difference to the Panzerschiffe a high-pressure steam engine was chosen for these ship to give them a much higher speed but since those engines never worked without any problems later operations were often negatively influenced by them.

Their main artillery was increased by 50%, but unlike other foreign battleships, the Scharnhorst class got only the small caliber guns of the Panzerschiffe. The decision for those guns was made because those guns were already in production and at this time no bigger gun was developed. To complete the ships in the planned time, the 28cm (11") guns had to be used.

But the construction of the turret mountings allowed it to replace the 28cm triple turrets with 38 cm (15") twin turrets. It was planned to do this conversion after the construction of the next generation of battleships (Battleship F & G) in 1940, but the start of the war prevented this. Battleship D, later called Scharnhorst, was laid down in May 1935 at the Kriegsmarine Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven and commissioned in January 1939.

The sister ship Gneisenau (Battleship E) was laid down in March 1935 at the Deutsche Werke in Kiel and commissioned in May 1938. It soon became clear that the straight bow of the ships had to be modified because of the amount of water taken over at high speed. During the war, both ships operated together most time.

They did a successful North Atlantic operation, and were the only battleships that sink a operational fleet carrier.

Operational history

Service timeline

07.01.1939

Commissioned, first trials in the Jade estuary.

July - August 1939

Final construction in Wilhelmshaven, bow is modified.

21.11.1939

Together with Scharnhorst, the Gneisenau is sent south of Iceland to attack the Northern Patrol.

23.11.1939

The two battlecruisers sink the British auxiliary cruiser Rawalpindi.

27.11.1939

Returns to Kiel.

18-20.02.1940

Operation "Nordmark": Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, CA Admiral Hipper and the destroyers Wolfgang Zenker, Wilhelm Heidkamp and Karl Galster are sent to intercept British convoys between Bergen and England, but no ships are sighted.

07-12.04.1940

Operation "Weserübung": Scharnhorst and Gneisenau cover the invasion of Narvik. West of the Lofoten, they engage the British BC Renown and the cruiser Birmingham in bad weather.

04.06.1940

Operation "Juno": Flagship in the Polar Sea operations together with Gneisenau, Admiral Hipper and the destroyers Karl Galster, Hans Lody, Erich Steinbrink and Hermann Schoemann.

08.06.1940

Battle with British CV Glorious and the DDs Ardent and Acasta. All British ships are sunk, the Scharnhorst was hit by a torpedo of the DD Acasta, damaging middle and starboard engine and Turret Cäsar.

10.06.1940

Return to Drontheim.

June 1940

After emergency repairs in Drontheim, the Scharnhorst is sent back to Kiel. Unsuccessful air attacks by the RAF.

28.12.1940

First unsuccessful attempt to break out in the North Atlantic together with the Gneisenau. Operation is aborted after the Gneisenau is damaged by heavy seas.

22.01.1941

Operation "Berlin": Start of successful Atlantic operation

03.02.1941

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau break through the Denmark Strait.

08.02.1941

Convoy HX-108 is sighted but the attack is stopped after the BB Ramiles is detected covering this convoy. Scharnhorst unsuccessfully tries to pull the British BB away of the convoy to enable the Gneisenau to attack the unprotected merchants.

07-09.03.1941

Disengage from Convoy SL-67 after the sighting of the British BB Malaya.

15-16.03.1941

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau attack a convoy south-east of Newfoundland.

22.03.1941

Both ships enter Brest. They sank 22 ships with 115600 t during their North Atlantic Operations. Scharnhorst sinks 8 of them with 49300t.

Mar 1941 - Feb 1942

Stationed in Brest, target of many British air attacks. Scharnhorst is hit by 5 bombs while temporarily anchored in La Pallice which cause severe damage.

11-12.02.1942

Operation "Ceberus": Flagship during the escape the English Channel: Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and CA Prinz Eugen, escorted by 6 destroyers (Paul Jakobi, Richard Beitzen, Friedrich Ihn, Hermann Schoemann, Z25, Z29) and 14 torpedo boats (e.g. Kondor, Jaguar, T12, T13), return to Germany.

March 1943

In the third attempt, the Scharnhorst sails to northern Norway and is stationed in the West Fjord/Alta Fjord.

06-07.09.1943

Operation "Sizilien": A squadron consisting of Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and 9 destroyers (Erich Steinbrink, Karl Galster, Hans Lody, Theodor Riedel, Z27, Z29, Z30, Z31, Z33) attack the enemy base on Spitzbergen.

Sep - Dec 1943

Scharnhorst is first stationed in the Kaa Fjord, then in the Lang Fjord.

25.12.1943

Under the command of Conter-Admiral Bey, the Scharnhorst and destroyers Z29, Z30, Z33, Z34 and Z38 tries to find and attack the convoy JW-55B on its way to Murmansk. The Scharnhorst is detected by British Cruisers after she left her escorts. After several attempts, the British battleship Duke of York locates the Scharnhorst.

26.12.1943

After several hours, the Scharnhorst is sunk at 7:45 pm. Only 36 crew members survive.

At a glance