Hunting the Tirpitz off Norway

9th March 1942: Sister ship to the Bismarck narrowly escapes the torpedo bombers of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm

Tirpitz was armed with a main battery of eight 38-centimetre (15 in) guns in four twin turrets. After a series of wartime modifications, she was 2000 tonnes heavier than Bismarck, making her the heaviest battleship ever built by a European navy.

A US Navy recognition drawing of the Tirpitz.

In early 1942 British intelligence realised that the Tirpitz had become operational and, based in Norway, would pose a threat to Arctic Convoys supplying Russia or could possibly even break out into the Atlantic, as her sister ship the Bismarck had done, and threaten Transatlantic convoys.

The destruction or even crippling of this ship is the greatest event at sea at the present time. No other target is comparable to it.
Winston Churchill, 25th January 1942

The aircraft carrier HMS VICTORIOUS in Hvalfjord, Iceland earlier in 1942.

Preparing torpedoes to be loaded into Fairey Albacores on the flight deck of HMS VICTORIOUS.

Preparing torpedoes to be loaded into Fairey Albacores on the flight deck of HMS VICTORIOUS.

View from the search-light platform overlooking the flight deck of HMS VICTORIOUS, showing the strike force of 12 Fairey Albacores loaded with torpedoes to strike at the TIRPITZ. In the background can be seen HMS RENOWN, HMS DUKE OF YORK, and HMS BERWICK in line ahead.

One of the escort cruisers, HMS BERWICK, "taking it green" as water crashes over her bows off the Norwegian coast.