How Big Was Nazi Germany’s H-Class Battleship?
The H-Class Battleship Designs of Nazi Germany
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine embarked on an ambitious project to create a series of battleships under the designation “H class.” These designs were part of the broader Plan Z, which aimed to fortify Germany’s naval power. The initial design, the “H-39,” envisioned six battleships that were essentially scaled-up versions of the Bismarck-class, armed with 40.6 cm (16 in) guns and powered by diesel engines.
Evolution of the Designs
The H-39 design was subsequently improved upon in the “H-41” variant, which featured even larger main guns of 42 cm (16.5 in) caliber and enhanced deck armor. The design work concluded with the H-41, but further, more ambitious plans were sketched out. These included the “H-42” and “H-43” designs, which proposed main batteries of 48 cm (18.9 in) guns, and the colossal “H-44,” which would have boasted 50.8 cm (20 in) guns. The sizes of these ships varied greatly, from the H-39 at 277.8 meters (911 feet 5 inches) in length and a displacement of 56,444 tons, to the H-44 at 345 meters (1,131 feet 11 inches) and 131,000 tons. Most designs aimed for a top speed exceeding 30 knots (56 km/h).
Construction and Cancellation
The outbreak of World War II in September 1939 halted these plans. Only the first two H-39 ships had begun construction; the work was subsequently suspended, and by November 1941, the partially assembled materials were ordered to be scrapped. Contracts for the remaining H-39 ships were canceled before any work commenced. None of the more advanced designs moved past the planning stages.
Initial Design Concepts
The initial concept for the “Schlachtschiff H” (Battleship H) originated in 1935, closely mirroring the early designs of the Bismarck-class with 35 cm (14 in) guns. However, intelligence about the Soviet Navy’s plans to build the Sovetsky Soyuz class with 38 cm (15 in) guns led to a recalibration, resulting in an armament upgrade to 38 cm guns by October 1936. The finalized staff requirements called for a ship with a displacement of 35,000 long tons, armed with eight 38 cm guns and capable of 30 knots.
Design and Development
The H-39 design work began in earnest in 1937, with instructions to surpass the Bismarck-class in armament and capabilities. Following the Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935 and the Second London Naval Treaty, the design incorporated 40.6 cm guns. Admiral Werner Fuchs convinced Hitler to settle on these guns, despite the latter’s desire for even larger calibers that would have necessitated prohibitively large displacements.
Orders and Early Construction
Orders for the first two H-39 ships were placed in April 1939, with contracts for the remaining four following in May. The keels for the first two ships were laid in July and September 1939. However, the onset of the war caused construction to be halted. Only a fraction of the steel required for the first two ships had been assembled by the time work was suspended.
Projected Specifications
The H-39 was to be 277.8 meters (911 feet 5 inches) long overall, with a beam of 37 meters (121 feet 5 inches) and a draft of up to 11.2 meters (36 feet 9 inches) at full load. The main armament included eight 40.6 cm SK C/34 guns in four twin turrets. Secondary armament consisted of twelve 15 cm L/55 C28 guns in six twin turrets. Anti-aircraft defense was to be provided by sixteen 10.5 cm L/65 C33 guns, sixteen 3.7 cm L/83 C33 guns, and twenty-four 2 cm C38 guns.
Armor and Protection
The armor system was designed for close-range combat, with a 300 mm (11.8 in) thick main belt of Krupp cemented steel covering the central section. The deck armor ranged from 50 mm (2 in) to 150 mm (5.9 in) thick. The underwater protection system featured a 45 mm (1.8 in) torpedo bulkhead, and two armored decks offered substantial protection against plunging fire and aerial bombs.
Design Escalation
In 1940, as wartime experience suggested the need for more robust protection, the design staff proposed modifications. These included increasing the freeboard and strengthening horizontal protection. The “H-41” design resulted from these efforts, featuring larger 42 cm guns and improved armor. Further, conceptual studies for even larger ships, the H-42 through H-44, were undertaken, although none were built.
