The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis 1 The ...

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The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis A 203-mm shell caused this damage to the left 105-mm gun on antiaircraft Mount 41. (Slide 45D) The port aircraft catapult, an 18-meter truss-like structure, was located on the seafloor perfectly upright like a tower, 500 meters northeast of the main wreck. Approximately 13-14 meters of the structure are visible above the sediment. It may have fallen off when the ship listed or when it capsized, or been blown off the ship by a torpedo hit amidships at deck level, after the port Batteriedeck had submerged due to the port list. Since it is partially buried, it is not possible to determine if it was damaged by shellfire. The port and starboard cranes are missing. The boom of the starboard crane is detached and lying on the port aft superstructure, projecting over the barbette of Turret Caesar. This anomaly leads to interesting speculation − as the ship righted itself in the water column, possibly the boom, having some buoyancy and probably entangled in the wrecked superstructure of Bismarck, settled onto the after superstructure and barbette opening as the wreck continued its plunge to the seafloor, eventually sliding down a seamount. The forward end of the port crane boom was found alongside the slide scar. It was detached from its after portion by a direct shell hit, while rollers for the wire rope rigging were shot away by small caliber shell fire. Even a cursory examination reveals that the damage on the port side is more extensive than to starboard. The battleships concentrated their fire on the port side in the initial stages of the battle. Rodney moved to the starboard side for a short time after 0950. King George V remained on the starboard side, closing to a range of 6-8,000 meters near the conclusion of her gunfire. The capsizing process caused much of the loose material to slide into the sea. 38
The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis This is a view of the starboard amidships 150-mm gun turret. Note the penetration in the barbette structure, caused by a 203-mm shell hit. The paint on the hull sides was found to be in very good condition during the May 2002 expedition, including the demarcation between the black boot topping and the battleship gray just above the waterline. The red anti-fouling paint below the boot topping is clearly visible. Evidence of the camouflage “dazzle” paint pattern can be seen here and there on the hull. The camouflage pattern that was apparent when the ship left Gotenhafen (Gydnia) on 19 May was painted over in Norway. The ROVs, Jake and Elwood, were able to explore some of the interior spaces above the armor deck during the Cameron expedition. Their surveys revealed that the interior paint was less visible and rusticle activity much more pronounced. This may have been due to the amount of paint used, the contents of the paint, or fire damage. The ROV surveys also discovered that some of the spaces explored were severely damaged by explosions of armor-piercing shells. Overall, the interior spaces that were explored were in worse condition than the exterior, because of the nature of an armor-piercing shell fused to detonate after a delay to allow for the set-back and brief delay as the shell tears its way through the armor, then detonating about 7-8 meters beyond, creating a large field of blast and splinter damage. Fire damage and bottom impact effects have also contributed to these spaces’ destruction, rendering some spaces virtually unrecognizable. Most of the survivors came from battle stations below the armor deck. 39
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The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis 1 The ...

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