Bismarck

German battleship of World War II. The formidable 52,600-ton (47,700-metric-ton) vessel was launched in 1939. British reconnaissance aircraft sighted it off Bergen, Norway, in May 1941, and almost the entire British home fleet was sent to intercept it. Two cruisers engaged it near Iceland, and the destroyed the before escaping to the open sea. Sighted 30 hours later, it was torpedoed and then bombarded by battleships throughout the night. The and the crippled it in an hour-long attack, and it was finally sunk by torpedoes from the cruiser .

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