H.M.S. Hood Today
Photos of the Wreck of Battleship Bismarck
Updated 21-Nov-2018

Contained herein, are many photos of the wreck of Schlachtschiff Bismarck as it lies today in the Atlantic. We owe a special debt of gratitude to our friend David L. Mearns of Blue Water Recoveries Ltd, for generously allowing us to post these photos here. Also, a very special thanks to Thomas Schmid for allowing us to post his excellent computer renderings of Bismarck. Lastly, a very special thanks to John Asmussen, José Rico and Ulrich Rudofsky for their assistance in better understanding the ship and the wreck.

Important Notice: These photographs have been exclusively loaned for display here on the official H.M.S. Hood Association web site, and are not to be downloaded or republished elsewhere without the express permission of David L. Mearns and Blue Water Recoveries Ltd. The wreck renderings may not be downloaded or republished elsewhere without the express permission of Thomas Schmid.

Assorted "Debris" Photos
Shown here are a few photos showing various large items found away from the main hull of Bismarck. Please note that we have slightly modified these photos: all were reduced in size and lightened/brightened somewhat to bring out detail. Also, please be aware that this page is image intensive, and may take some time to fully load.

The "fighting top", or superstructure tower. It rests, intact but inverted on the ocean floor up slope of the main hull. Some of its platforms are very deformed, and the entire structure is heavily pockmarked and riddled with shell and shrapnel holes. It is also heavily corroded in most places. Here you can see the Admiral's Bridge Deck as well as the supports for the Lower Searchlight Deck.

One of Bismarck's gun directors. This is believed to be the 34.5ft/10.5m rangefinder from atop the main fire control position (the rangefinder at the top of the bridge tower). This is based on its proximity to the bridge tower. There is, of course, also a possibility that it is Baron von Müllenheim-Rechbergs director. Note the shell penetrations and the fact that the mattress-like FuMO 23 radar is missing.

An overhead view of the gun director shown above.

The broken main mast. The large, crushed box-like structure was once used as a rudder angle indicator. Just out of view at the top of the frame is the largely intact Signals Platform.

One of the 15"/38cm L48.5 SK-C/34 gun turrets inverted on the ocean floor. It was tentatively identified as turret "Caesar". This was the only main turret found during the expedition. Its internal rotating structures have been severely smashed, most likely by the hull during the slide.

Lastly, a view of the Bismarck "Ehrentafel" (Roll of Honour) plaque in place on the underside of the Admiral's Bridge Deck to port. The Ehrentafel was stored digitally on a CD sealed within the plaque's centre. The actual document was createdby our web site staff through close co-operation between members of the Kameradschaft "Schlachtschiff Bismarck" and the H.M.S. Hood Association.