List of Allied attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz facts for kids

The German battleship Tirpitz was a huge and powerful warship used by Germany during World War II. The Allied forces saw Tirpitz as a major threat. They tried many times to sink or damage it. Most of these attacks didn't work, but some caused a lot of trouble for the battleship. Tirpitz was put out of action for a long time after a special midget submarine attack in September 1943. It was also damaged by planes from aircraft carriers in April 1944. Finally, Tirpitz was badly damaged by a huge bomb in September 1944 and then sunk in November of that year, leading to many lives lost.

Why Tirpitz Was a Target

Tirpitz was one of the largest battleships ever built by Germany. It was very strong and had powerful guns. Just its presence in Norway was a big problem for the Allies. It could attack convoys (groups of supply ships) carrying important goods to the Soviet Union. Because of this, the Allies spent a lot of effort trying to destroy it.

Early Air Attacks (1940-1942)

From 1940 to 1942, the Royal Air Force (RAF) tried many times to bomb Tirpitz. These attacks often happened at night.

Bombing Wilhelmshaven

When Tirpitz was being built or repaired in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, RAF bombers tried to hit it.

• On 8/9 October 1940, 17 Hampden bombers tried to attack. They caused no damage.
• In January 1941, more bombers like Wellingtons and Whitleys also tried. Again, no damage was done.
• Even a large raid on 28 February/1 March 1941 with 116 bombers failed to hit Tirpitz.

Attacks in Norway

Later, Tirpitz moved to the fjords (narrow inlets) of Norway. This made it even harder to attack.

• On 28/29 May 1941, bombers tried to reach Tirpitz in Kiel, but bad weather stopped most of them.
• In June 1941, a big raid with over 100 bombers aimed for Tirpitz in Kiel. They couldn't find it and bombed the city instead.
• After Tirpitz moved to Fættenfjord in Norway, the RAF continued its efforts. In March and April 1942, many Halifax and Lancaster bombers flew missions. Despite their efforts, Tirpitz remained undamaged.

Midget Submarine Attack (Operation Source)

One of the most successful early attacks happened on 22 September 1943.

Using Special Submarines

The Royal Navy used four tiny submarines called X Craft or midget submarines. These small subs were very hard to detect. They traveled a long way to reach Tirpitz, which was hiding in Kaafjord, Norway.

Damage to Tirpitz

The midget submarines managed to get close to Tirpitz. They placed powerful bombs right under the battleship. When the bombs exploded, they caused a lot of damage. Tirpitz's engines and other important parts were badly hurt. This attack put Tirpitz out of action for many months. The Allies lost three midget submarines and some crew members, but the mission was a big success.

Aircraft Carrier Strikes (1944)

After the midget submarine attack, Tirpitz was repaired. The Allies then tried to attack it using planes launched from aircraft carriers.

Operation Tungsten

On 3 April 1944, the Home Fleet (a part of the Royal Navy) launched a huge air attack called Operation Tungsten.

• About 40 Barracuda dive bombers and 80 fighter planes took part.
• The planes hit Tirpitz with 15 bombs and also strafed it with machine guns.
• This caused light damage to the battleship. Many German sailors were killed or wounded.
• The Allies lost a few planes and pilots, but Tirpitz was damaged again.

Later Carrier Attacks

The Home Fleet tried several more times to attack Tirpitz with carrier planes in 1944.

• Operations like Planet, Brawn, and Tiger Claw were planned but cancelled because of bad weather.
• Operation Mascot on 17 July 1944 involved 44 Barracuda bombers. They couldn't cause any damage.
• Operation Goodwood was a series of attacks in August 1944.
  • On 22 August, two attacks were launched. No damage was done.
  • On 24 August, 33 Barracuda bombers hit Tirpitz with two bombs, causing only minor damage.
  • Another attack on 29 August also failed to cause damage.

These carrier attacks showed how difficult it was to hit Tirpitz in its protected fjord.

The Final Attacks (1944)

The Allies then decided to use very heavy bombs dropped by long-range bombers.

Operation Paravane

On 15 September 1944, No. 9 Squadron RAF and No. 617 Squadron RAF (famous for the "Dambusters" raid) launched Operation Paravane.

• They used 28 Lancaster heavy bombers.
• These planes carried special, very large bombs called Tallboy bombs.
• One Tallboy bomb hit Tirpitz directly. It caused severe and irreparable damage. This meant the ship could not be fully repaired.
• This attack happened in Kaafjord, Norway. The Allies had no losses in this mission.

Operation Obviate

After the Paravane attack, Tirpitz was moved to Tromsø, Norway, to be used as a floating gun battery.

• On 29 October 1944, the same RAF squadrons launched Operation Obviate.
• 38 Lancaster bombers attacked Tirpitz.
• One bomb landed very close, causing minor damage. One Lancaster bomber was lost.

Operation Catechism

The final attack on Tirpitz happened on 12 November 1944, in Tromsø.

• This mission was called Operation Catechism.
• 32 Lancaster heavy bombers, again from No. 9 and No. 617 Squadrons, attacked.
• This time, three Tallboy bombs hit Tirpitz directly, and two more landed very close.
• The massive battleship quickly capsized (flipped over).
• Between 950 and 1,204 German sailors were killed.
• One Lancaster bomber was lost during this final, successful attack.