Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship or battlecruiser, of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15 June 1935 and launched a year and four months later on 3 October 1936. Completed in January 1939, the ship was armed with a main battery of nine 28 cm (11 in) C/34 guns in three triple turrets. Plans to replace these weapons with six 38 cm (15 in) SK C/34 guns in twin turrets were never carried out.
Scharnhorst and Gneisenau operated together for much of the early portion of World War II, including sorties into the Atlantic to raid British merchant shipping. During her first operation, Scharnhorst sank the auxiliary cruiser HMS Rawalpindi in a short engagement (November 1939). Scharnhorst and Gneisenau participated in Operation Weserübung (April–June 1940), the German invasion of Norway. During operations off Norway, the two ships engaged the battlecruiser HMS Renown and sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious as well as her escort destroyers Acasta and Ardent. In that engagement Scharnhorst achieved one of the longest-range naval gunfire hits in history.
In early 1942, after repeated British bombing raids, the two ships made a daylight dash up the English Channel from occupied France to Germany. In early 1943, Scharnhorst joined the Bismarck-class battleship Tirpitz in Norway to interdict Allied convoys to the Soviet Union. Scharnhorst and several destroyers sortied from Norway to attack a convoy, but British naval patrols intercepted the German force. During the Battle of the North Cape (26 December 1943), the Royal Navy battleship HMS Duke of York and her escorts sank Scharnhorst. Only 36 men were rescued, out of a crew of 1,968.
Scharnhorst on sea trials in the Baltic Sea after bow modification late 1939
Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst Kiel 1940Scharnhorst 1942Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst seen at Wilhelmshaven, Germany 1939.Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst Scharnhorst After ModificationsScharnhorstScharnhorst on sea trials in the Baltic Sea after bow modification late 1939ScharnhorstScharnhorstScharnhorstScharnhorst
Attacking Glorious
Scharnhorst Firing on HMS Glorious
Norway
Scharnhorst in Norway in winterScharnhorst in NorwayScharnhorst in Norway
Channel Dash
Scharnhorst During the Channel DashHandley Page Halifaxes of no 35 Squadron RAF bombing Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in dry-dock at Brest 18 December 1941
Damage
Damage caused by the torpedo that hit Scharnhorst on 8 June 1940.
Spitzbergen
September 6-9, 1943 Scharnhorst seen during the operation against Svalbard (Spitsbergen) NorwaySeptember 6-9, 1943 Scharnhorst seen during the operation against Svalbard (Spitsbergen) NorwaySeptember 6-9, 1943 Scharnhorst seen during the operation against Svalbard (Spitsbergen) NorwaySeptember 6-9, 1943 Scharnhorst seen during the operation against Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Norway
Scharnhorst’s Aircraft
Arado Ar 196A-2 Serving on Scharnhorst
Arado Ar 196A-2 of 1.BoFlGr196 T3+LH showing the oversized markings when onboard KMS Scharnhorst 1939Arado Ar 196A-2 being retrieved aboard ScharnhorstArado Ar 196A-2 of 1.BordFlGr196 (T3+NH) Wrk.Nr 100040 on KMS Scharnhorst 1940Arado Ar 196A-2 of 1.BordFlGr196 (T3+GH) Wrk.Nr 100047Arado Ar 196A-2 of 1.BordFlGr196 (T3+NH) Wrk.Nr 100040 on KMS Scharnhorst 1940Arado Ar 196A-2 of 1.BordFlGr196 (T3+NH) Wrk.Nr 100040 on KMS Scharnhorst 1940
Arado Ar 196A-4 Serving on Scharnhorst
Arado Ar 196A-4 of 1.BordFlGr196 Being Catapulted From Scharnhorst
Unidentified Arado Ar 196 Floatplanes Serving on Scharnhorst
Arado Ar 196A Aboard ScharnhorstArado Ar 196 onboard KMS ScharnhorstArado Ar 196A Aboard Scharnhorst
Detail
Bow ViewScharnhorst BowScharnhorst’s Forward 280mm TurretsScharnhorst’s Forward Turrets Covered in IceScharnhorst’s Forward 280mm TurretsScharnhorst in the Winter 1940Scharnhorst Foredeck, Turrets and Superstructure Covered in IceScharnhorst Aft TurretScharnhorst Covered in IceScharnhorst main armamentScharnhorst forward control tower with a 10.5 cm rangefinderScharnhorst Superstructure DetailAft ViewScharnhorst Superstructure DetailThe catapult launch system aboard Scharnhorst