The Bismarck, probably the most infamous battlewagon of them all. Well know for it's participation in OPERATION RHEINÜBUNG, where she squared off, along with the Prinz Eugen, the HMS Hood and Prince of Wales. It is ironic that all three capital ships who meet with very spectacular ends.
While the Hood would meet its fate quickly at the hands of the Bismarck, and the Prince of Wales was sunk by Japanese bombers, the mighty Bismarck would withstand a 74 minute bombardment having 2,876 shells fired at it. The encounter the Bismarck had with the pride of the British Home Fleet is well known by ship modelers, probably why she is still a popular kit. But what is not well known, unless you have studied this famous sea battle, is that in the final encounter with the Royal Navy, it was not the flagship King George V that took the point in the action, but the much older, and more heavily armed Rodney. Yet, if carefully viewed, in the movie "Sink the Bismarck!" it is the Repulse, not the Rodney that sailed with the KGV on that fateful day. I wonder why?
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Bismarck & Tirpitz
HMS Hood
HMS Rodney
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The Mighty Bismarck
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#027
Joined: April 13, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 07:31 PM UTC
Halfyank
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Posted: Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 10:52 PM UTC
What scene are you speaking about Gator? On my DVD of Sink the Bismarck you can make out Rodney in a couple of scenes sailing off the port quarter of KGV. Near the beginning of the chapter "The Main Event" there is a quick scene of the two ships, then they show the guns being loaded, then another longer shot of the two again. I'm too cheap to buy DVD software that will allow me to copy frames from my DVD. I tried using print screen but for some reason it kept cutting off the Rodney out of the picture and only showed KGV.
My first exposure to the world of war games was the old, pre-computer, board game of Avalon Hill's Bismarck. You played the game with little cardboard counters showing an overhead view of the ships. Even though the counters had decent drawings of the ships, fairly accurate, I always assumed they had made a mistake on the counter for the Rodney. Who would have ever put all three turrets up front? It wasn't for several years that I saw a photo of the old lady and realized that's how she really looked.
My first exposure to the world of war games was the old, pre-computer, board game of Avalon Hill's Bismarck. You played the game with little cardboard counters showing an overhead view of the ships. Even though the counters had decent drawings of the ships, fairly accurate, I always assumed they had made a mistake on the counter for the Rodney. Who would have ever put all three turrets up front? It wasn't for several years that I saw a photo of the old lady and realized that's how she really looked.gator
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#027
Joined: April 13, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 11:55 PM UTC
Rodger, yes you do see the Rodney sailing with the KGV, but I never heard the mention the Rodney. They talk of the Repluse sailing with KGV, but no mention of the Rodney. None that I heard. Anyway, for me, it's one of those movies I watch over and over. I had to by the dvd. I wore the vhs copy out. Of course, I did the same with my copies of Tora and Midway (actually broke that one :-) )
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Halfyank
Joined: February 01, 2003
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006 - 01:06 AM UTC
Well technically it was Repulse that "sailed" with KGV. They both left base together once Bismarck was spotted. Rodney didn't come along until after Hood was sunk and the RN scraped together every ship they could. Seems to me she may have been mentioned when Sheppard is telling the WREN which ships to pull from which duties.
You realize this is just an excuse for me to watch the movie again. Thanks for twisting my arm.
Three Ts is great, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of Midway. I'm not the biggest fan of Charlton Heston. I did see the movie when it first came out, in Sensurround. That was a process where the base was turned way up and the whole theater rumbled in certain scenes of the movie. When those B-25s of the Doolittle raid started their engines the whole place shook.
You realize this is just an excuse for me to watch the movie again. Thanks for twisting my arm.
Three Ts is great, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of Midway. I'm not the biggest fan of Charlton Heston. I did see the movie when it first came out, in Sensurround. That was a process where the base was turned way up and the whole theater rumbled in certain scenes of the movie. When those B-25s of the Doolittle raid started their engines the whole place shook.
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#027
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006 - 01:42 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Well technically it was Repulse that "sailed" with KGV. They both left base together once Bismarck was spotted. Rodney didn't come along until after Hood was sunk and the RN scraped together every ship they could.
That would explain it. I was under the impression that the Rodney was in port. Still, she's my favorite of the lot. A beautiful ship. Btw...I'm watching Sink the Bismarck now.
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Halfyank
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006 - 03:13 AM UTC
Rodney was escorting the troop ship Britannic, though what use an old BB would be in U-boat infested waters I'm not really sure. When Hood was sunk and the order went out for every ship to join the chase she left the Britannic and headed for the area. Her skipper was smarter than some and didn't screw up the radio direction finding info so he had a better idea of where Bismarck really was. Rodney is credited with the only time one BB torpedoed another when she put one fish into Bismarck.
[urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Rodney_(1925)][/url]
[urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Rodney_(1925)][/url]
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#027
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006 - 06:41 AM UTC
Hey Rodg,
In the movie, when Sheppard makes the decision to bring the Ark Royal to the fight. The 1st Sea Lord said that he had already detached the Rodney and that was the last of the available ships.
Gator
In the movie, when Sheppard makes the decision to bring the Ark Royal to the fight. The 1st Sea Lord said that he had already detached the Rodney and that was the last of the available ships.
Gator
Hoovie
Joined: March 14, 2004
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2006 - 07:01 AM UTC
Hi~
Damn I love that movie, right or wrong!
those are GREAT models!!
Ron
Damn I love that movie, right or wrong!
those are GREAT models!!
Ron
Littorio
Joined: September 15, 2004
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Posted: Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 04:56 PM UTC
Well probaly the most well know sea battle of WWII the Bismarck chase.
Infact BC Repulse sailed with BB KGV and CV Victorious together with four cruisers and nine destroyers. Then also add to that the signal recieved by Rodney will on escort:
"Enemy's position 62, 25' N. 33, 00' W., course 210, speed 26 at 0900/24. Steer best closing course. If Britannic can't keep up let her proceed alone with one destroyer"
At around 14:00 Rodney and three destroyers headed north at full speed. Passengers on the Britannic included several American officers who had been observing the operations and tactics of the British home fleet and gaining information for the US Navy 'If' it entered the war.
Also called in to the chase where BB Revenge from Halifax, BB Ramillies from convoy escort in the south, CA Edinburgh patrolling the Azores, CA London convoy escort. Add to that Force H from Gibraltar, CV Ark Royal, BC Renown, CA Sheffield and six destroyers.
Ciao
Luciano
Infact BC Repulse sailed with BB KGV and CV Victorious together with four cruisers and nine destroyers. Then also add to that the signal recieved by Rodney will on escort:
"Enemy's position 62, 25' N. 33, 00' W., course 210, speed 26 at 0900/24. Steer best closing course. If Britannic can't keep up let her proceed alone with one destroyer"
At around 14:00 Rodney and three destroyers headed north at full speed. Passengers on the Britannic included several American officers who had been observing the operations and tactics of the British home fleet and gaining information for the US Navy 'If' it entered the war.
Also called in to the chase where BB Revenge from Halifax, BB Ramillies from convoy escort in the south, CA Edinburgh patrolling the Azores, CA London convoy escort. Add to that Force H from Gibraltar, CV Ark Royal, BC Renown, CA Sheffield and six destroyers.
Ciao
Luciano
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#027
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Posted: Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 08:10 PM UTC
Quoted Text
In fact BC Repulse sailed with BB KGV and CV Victorious together with four cruisers and nine destroyers. Then also add to that the signal recieved by Rodney will on escort:
"Enemy's position 62, 25' N. 33, 00' W., course 210, speed 26 at 0900/24. Steer best closing course. If Britannic can't keep up let her proceed alone with one destroyer"
At around 14:00 Rodney and three destroyers headed north at full speed. Passengers on the Britannic included several American officers who had been observing the operations and tactics of the British home fleet and gaining information for the US Navy 'If' it entered the war.
Also called in to the chase where BB Revenge from Halifax, BB Ramillies from convoy escort in the south, CA Edinburgh patrolling the Azores, CA London convoy escort. Add to that Force H from Gibraltar, CV Ark Royal, BC Renown, CA Sheffield and six destroyers.
Wow! Thanks for that information Luciano. I can assume that this came after the Battle of the Denmark Strait? If so, it tells me how much respect the Bismarck earned after sinking the Hood and turning back the PoW.
Littorio
Joined: September 15, 2004
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Posted: Sunday, December 03, 2006 - 05:01 PM UTC
Yes Kenny all this came about after the 'Battle of the Denmark Strait'.
And although the Prince of Wales had been turned back in that battle with gun problems, and minor damage (It was so new it still had construction crew on board) all the guns were repaired and she continued to shadow the Bismarck together with the two heavy cruisers.
Quote
"Rodney was escorting the troop ship Britannic, though what use an old BB would be in U-boat infested waters I'm not really sure."
Rodger,
The Battleship escort was not for use against U-boats but for protection against the surface raiders like the Armoured cruisers Lutzow and Admiral Scheer (pocket battleships) and also the armed merchent ships Germany and Italy had at sea.
The Britannic must of had some VERY important people on board to warrent an escort of four destroyers and a battleship. Remember that convoy's were in use so why was Britannic steaming alone?!
Ciao
Luciano
And although the Prince of Wales had been turned back in that battle with gun problems, and minor damage (It was so new it still had construction crew on board) all the guns were repaired and she continued to shadow the Bismarck together with the two heavy cruisers.
Quote
"Rodney was escorting the troop ship Britannic, though what use an old BB would be in U-boat infested waters I'm not really sure."
Rodger,
The Battleship escort was not for use against U-boats but for protection against the surface raiders like the Armoured cruisers Lutzow and Admiral Scheer (pocket battleships) and also the armed merchent ships Germany and Italy had at sea.
The Britannic must of had some VERY important people on board to warrent an escort of four destroyers and a battleship. Remember that convoy's were in use so why was Britannic steaming alone?!
Ciao
Luciano
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