Lancaster Bombers Sink Tirpitz: Germany's Last Battleship
Twenty-nine RAF Lancaster bombers from 617 Squadron (the Dambusters) and 9 Squadron attacked the German battleship Tirpitz in Tromso Fjord, Norway, on November 12, 1944, using Barnes Wallis's 12,000-pound Tallboy 'earthquake' bombs. At least two bombs struck the ship directly. The Tirpitz capsized in shallow water within minutes, trapping nearly 1,000 crew below decks. The ship had spent most of the war hiding in Norwegian fjords, but its mere presence had forced the Royal Navy to keep capital ships in home waters to counter a potential breakout. The previous 24 attacks on the Tirpitz, including midget submarine raids and carrier strikes, had damaged but failed to sink her. The Tirpitz was the last major warship of the Kriegsmarine. Her destruction freed six Royal Navy battleships and two fleet carriers for the Pacific theater.
November 12, 1944
82 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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