This is an in-depth examination of this classic ship that represented the pinnacle of the Nazi war machine at sea, containing full colour artworks and action photographs and comprehensive appendices including detailed specifications and comparison tables. The Bismarck is amongst the most famous battleship of WWII with much of the Allied fleet being diverted to hunt her down during her breakout into the Atlantic in 1941. The book begins by tracing the re-growth of the German navy after WWI and Hitler's plans for rearmament. After 1935 the German navy was allowed to build capital ships again and the book then examines every aspect of the Bismarck's development and construction, including detailed sections on her design, armament, powerplant, crew and armour. In addition there is a chapter devoted to the Bismarck in action with descriptions of the ship's only voyage in anger, its successful sinking of HMS Hood and the ship's final showdown 300 miles west of Ushant when she was torpedoed and then finished off by the guns of the Royal Navy. The book also describes the building and career of the Tirpitz, the Bismarck's sister ship.