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List of Allied attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz

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The German battleship Tirpitz was attacked on multiple occasions by Allied forces during World War II. While most of the attacks failed to inflict any damage on the battleship, she was placed out of action for a lengthy period following the Operation Source midget submarine attack on 22 September 1943 and for a short period after the Operation Tungsten aircraft carrier strike on 3 April 1944. Tirpitz suffered severe and irreparable damage after being hit by a Tallboy bomb during the Operation Paravane air raid on 15 September 1944, and was sunk with heavy loss of life in the Operation Catechism raid on 12 November that year.

List of attacks

[edit]
Date Location Allied units involved Attacking force Damage inflicted on Tirpitz Allied losses Comments References
8/9 October 1940 Wilhelmshaven RAF Bomber Command 17 Hampden medium bombers None None Attempted to bomb Tirpitz in the Wilhelmshaven dry dock [1]
8/9 January 1941 Wilhelmshaven RAF Bomber Command Total of 32 Wellington, Whitley and Hampden medium bombers None None [2]
29/30 January 1941 Wilhelmshaven RAF Bomber Command 25 Wellington medium bombers
9 Hampden medium bombers		 None None [3]
28 February/1 March 1941 Wilhelmshaven RAF Bomber Command Total of 116 Blenheim, Hampden, Wellington and Whitley bombers None 1 Blenheim 75 of the attackers reported bombing Wilhelmshaven, but no damage was recorded in the city [4]
28/29 May 1941 Kiel RAF Bomber Command 14 Whitley medium bombers None 1 Whitley Only 3 of the aircraft dispatched reached the target area due to bad weather [5]
20/21 June 1941 Kiel RAF Bomber Command 47 Wellington medium bombers
24 Hampden medium bombers
20 Whitley medium bombers
13 Stirling heavy bombers
11 Halifax heavy bombers		 None 2 Wellingtons Raid sought to locate and then attack Tirpitz, but the attackers did not sight her. Attacking force bombed the city of Kiel instead. [6][7]
28/29 January 1942 Åsenfjorden Royal Air Force 9 Halifax bombers
7 Stirling bombers		 None 1 Stirling [8][9]
9 March 1942 At sea off the Lofoten islands HMS Victorious 12 Albacore torpedo bombers None 2 Albacores Attacked during the Operation Sportpalast raid [9]
30/31 March 1942 Fættenfjord Royal Air Force 33 Halifaxes None 5 Halifaxes Most aircraft unable to locate the target area [9]
27/28 April 1942 Fættenfjord Royal Air Force 31 Halifaxes
12 Lancasters		 None 5 aircraft [9]
28/29 April 1942 Fættenfjord Royal Air Force 23 Halifaxes
11 Lancasters		 None 2 aircraft [9][10]
31 October 1942 Trondheimsfjord Royal Navy 2 Chariot manned torpedoes None 2 Chariot manned torpedoes
1 trawler		 Operation Title
Operation failed due to mechanical problems		 [11]
22 September 1943 Kaafjord Royal Navy 4 X Craft midget submarines Extensive damage 3 midget submarines
3 killed, 6 captured		 Operation Source [12]
10/11 February 1944 Kaafjord Soviet Air Forces 15 aircraft None None Only 4 aircraft reached the target area [13]
3 April 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet 40 Barracuda dive bombers
80 fighters		 Light damage from 15 bomb hits and straffing
122 killed, 316 wounded		 3 Barracudas
1 Hellcat
9 killed		 Operation Tungsten [9]
24 April 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet N/A None None Operation Planet
Cancelled due to bad weather before aircraft were launched		 [9]
15 May 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet 27 Barracuda dive bombers
36 fighters		 None None Operation Brawn
Cancelled due to bad weather after aircraft were launched		 [9]
28 May 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet N/A None None Operation Tiger Claw
Cancelled due to bad weather before aircraft were launched		 [9]
17 July 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet 44 Barracuda dive bombers
40 fighters		 None 1 Barracuda
1 Corsair		 Operation Mascot [14]
22 August 1944 (am) Kaafjord Home Fleet 44 Barracuda dive bombers
53 fighters		 None 3 aircraft Operation Goodwood [14]
22 August 1944 (pm) Kaafjord Home Fleet 14 fighters None None Operation Goodwood [14]
24 August 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet 33 Barracuda dive bombers
44 fighters		 Superficial damage from 2 bomb hits 6 aircraft Operation Goodwood [14]
29 August 1944 Kaafjord Home Fleet 26 Barracuda dive bombers
41 fighters		 None 2 aircraft Operation Goodwood [14]
15 September 1944 Kaafjord No. 9 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron RAF		 28 Lancaster heavy bombers Severe damage from 1 bomb hit None Operation Paravane [14]
29 October 1944 Tromsø No. 9 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron RAF		 38 Lancaster heavy bombers Minor damage from a near miss 1 Lancaster Operation Obviate [14]
12 November 1944 Tromsø No. 9 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron RAF		 32 Lancaster heavy bombers Capsized after 3 direct hits and 2 near misses
Between 950 and 1,204 killed		 1 Lancaster Operation Catechism [14]

References

[edit]
Citations
  1. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 90
  2. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 116
  3. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 119
  4. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 128
  5. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 158
  6. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 165
  7. ^ Bishop (2012), p. 53
  8. ^ Middlebrook and Everitt (1985), p. 233
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Roskill (1961), p. 170
  10. ^ Farmer, Ben (10 December 2014). "Students find lost British WW2 bomber in Norwegian fjord". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  11. ^ Bennett (2012), p. 13
  12. ^ Bennett (2012), pp. 13–14
  13. ^ Bishop (2012), p. 295
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h Roskill (1961), p. 171
Bibliography
  • Bennett, G.H. (2012). "Introduction". In Bennett, G.H. (ed.). Hunting Tirpitz: Naval Operations Against Bismarck's Sister Ship. Plymouth, United Kingdom: University of Plymouth Press. pp. 7–25. ISBN 978-1-84102-310-6.
  • Bishop, Patrick (2012). Target Tirpitz. London: Harper Press. ISBN 978-0-00-743119-9.
  • Middlebrook, Martin; Everitt, Chris (1985). The Bomber Command War Diaries : An Operational Reference Book, 1939–1945 (Repr. ed.). Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking. ISBN 0-670-80137-2.
  • Roskill, S.W. (1961). The War at Sea 1939–1945. Volume III: The Offensive Part II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. OCLC 59005418.
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