Attack on Tirpitz in 14 October 1944

[[email protected]]

Here's what I found at -
http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/tirpitz/operations.html

"Attacked by a squadron of four-engined long range bombers stated in
Russia. One bomb hit on the
bow. The Tirpitz is out out of action."

Who knows what these planes were? Were they Soviet or British/American
stationed in the USSR?

[Mycroft]

They were number 9 & 617(Dambuster) squadrons RAF flying Lancasters who
staged through aRussian base as all UK bases were out of range; 617's
aircraft were carrying in their extended bombays 12000lb Tallboy bombs, 9's
aircraft were carrying 500lb Johnny Walker mines that were designed for
Capital ships in shallow water. Below is the link that describes the final
raid in November which actually sank Tirpitz, it was carried out by the same
2 squadrons after the aircraft had their armour plate and dorsal turrets
removed plus more powerful engines & extra fuel tanks fitted so they could
fly from Lossiemouth in Scotland.

Myc

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/overlander/attack.htm

[hlg]

> wrote in message
m...
> Here's what I found at -
>
http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/tirpitz/operations.
html
>
> "Attacked by a squadron of four-engined long range bombers stated in
> Russia. One bomb hit on the
> bow. The Tirpitz is out out of action."
>
> Who knows what these planes were? Were they Soviet or British/American
> stationed in the USSR?

They were Lancasters of 617 Sqn, RAF, They flew to a base in Russia from
where they launched the raid.

[Keith Willshaw]

> wrote in message
m...
> Here's what I found at -
>
http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/tirpitz/operations.html
>
> "Attacked by a squadron of four-engined long range bombers stated in
> Russia. One bomb hit on the
> bow. The Tirpitz is out out of action."
>
> Who knows what these planes were? Were they Soviet or British/American
> stationed in the USSR?

Avro Lancasters of 617 squadron BUT the date on that site is wrong.
The attack described took place on on15/9/44 .

For a full account see
http://www.nucleus.com/~ltwright/Sink-the-Tirpitz.html


Keith

[Ken Duffey]

hlg wrote:

> > wrote in message
> m...
> > Here's what I found at -
> >
> http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/tirpitz/operations.
> html
> >
> > "Attacked by a squadron of four-engined long range bombers stated in
> > Russia. One bomb hit on the
> > bow. The Tirpitz is out out of action."
> >
> > Who knows what these planes were? Were they Soviet or British/American
> > stationed in the USSR?
>
> They were Lancasters of 617 Sqn, RAF, They flew to a base in Russia from
> where they launched the raid.

Operation 'PARAVAN' ................

Following the raid - from the Murmansk region - the Soviets recovered about six
Lancasters that had crash landed and put two of them into service with the VVS.

I made a model of one of them - see :-
http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/ModelArticles/Duffy/Lancaster/index.php

The article includes a brief summary about the raids - by 9 & 617 Sqn.

As a footnote, since both Squadrons claimed to have sunk the Tirpitz, there is
intense rivalry between the two of them over posession of a piece of the German
warship (a bulkhead or watertight door IIRC ?).

The artifact is in the posession of one of the Squadrons - and the other then
leads a raiding party to 're-posess' it. This has been going on since WWII - I
don't know who currently has it - does anyone know if it is still going on - and
who has it ??

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++
Ken Duffey - Flanker Freak & Russian Aviation Enthusiast
Flankers Website - http://www.flankers.co.uk/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++

[robert arndt]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message >...
> > wrote in message
> m...
> > Here's what I found at -
> >
> http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/tirpitz/operations.html
> >
> > "Attacked by a squadron of four-engined long range bombers stated in
> > Russia. One bomb hit on the
> > bow. The Tirpitz is out out of action."
> >
> > Who knows what these planes were? Were they Soviet or British/American
> > stationed in the USSR?
>
> Avro Lancasters of 617 squadron BUT the date on that site is wrong.
> The attack described took place on on15/9/44 .
>
> For a full account see
> http://www.nucleus.com/~ltwright/Sink-the-Tirpitz.html
>
>
> Keith

The Lancasters flew from Yagodnik, near Archangel. There were 27
aircraft: 20 armed with Tallboys and 7 with Johnny Walkers.
As for Russian attacks on Tirpitz, I know only of only two confirmed
accounts. One was by the K21 submarine in 1942 (a miss) and by Russian
bombers on Feb 11/12 1944 ( a failure). There is another reported raid
by Russian bombers in Oct '44 but I haven't read anything conclusive
verifying that.

Rob

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: Attack on Tirpitz in 14 October 1944
>From: "Mycroft"
>Date: 10/27/03 2:05 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>The said artefact (A piece of bulkhead with a painting on it) is at the RAF
>museum hendon I saw it in August this year.
>
>Myc
>
>

I remember that day. We flew two missions into Germany that day. It was my
birthday. I was 20 years old and I wasn't a teenager any more..Nice day all
considered.

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Autocollimator]

>Subject: Re: Attack on Tirpitz in 14 October 1944
>From: (ArtKramr)
>Date: 10/27/03 2:11 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>>Subject: Re: Attack on Tirpitz in 14 October 1944
>>From: "Mycroft"
>>Date: 10/27/03 2:05 PM Pacific Standard Time
>>Message-id: >
>>
>>The said artefact (A piece of bulkhead with a painting on it) is at the RAF
>>museum hendon I saw it in August this year.
>>
>>Myc
>>
>>
>
>I remember that day. We flew two missions into Germany that day. It was my
>birthday. I was 20 years old and I wasn't a teenager any more..Nice day all
>considered.
>
>Arthur Kramer
>344th BG 494th BS
> England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
>Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
>http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
>


Have been reading your website. Great stuff . I have some questions. We'll do
it e-mail. Thanks.