Bismarck Country: Germany Type: Battleship Service: 1940 - 1941 Ordered: 16 November 1935 Laid down: 1 July 1936 Launched: 14 February 1939 Commissioned: 24 August 1940 Fate: Sunk 27 May 1941

The Bismarck class battleships were a class of battleships built by Germany around the onset of World War II. The Bismark class ships were the third-largest battleships ever completed by full-load displacement, behind the Japanese Yamato class and the American Iowa class. Only two ships of the class were built.

The German battleship Bismarck is one of the most famous warships of the Second World War. The lead ship of her class, Bismarck displaced more than 50,000 tons fully loaded and was the largest warship then commissioned. Her chief claim to fame came from the Battle of the Denmark Strait in May 1941 during which the battlecruiser HMS Hood, flagship of the Home Fleet and pride of the Royal Navy, was sunk within several minutes. In response, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill issued the order to Sink the Bismarck, spurring a relentless pursuit by the Royal Navy. Two days later, with safer waters almost in reach, Fleet Air Arm aircraft torpedoed Bismarck and jammed her rudder, allowing heavy British units to catch up with her. In the ensuing battle on the morning of 27 May 1941, Bismarck was heavily attacked for nearly three hours before sinking.