Difference between revisions of "Prinz Eugen"
m |
Colok76286 (talk | contribs) (Edits) |
||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]]. | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]]. | ||
| − | + | The {{PAGENAME}} is perhaps one of the most famous cruiser in World War II. It is best known for her long and fanciful career, from fighting alongside the battleship Bismarck in the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941, to the breakthrough between the British channel in 1942, and providing fire support for the retreating German army in the Eastern Front in 1945. The {{PAGENAME}}'s career literally ended with a bang when she was used as one of the targets for Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in 1946. | |
| + | |||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | ||
| − | As with her sister ship [[Admiral Hipper]], the {{PAGENAME}} features some of the best protection of all cruisers in the game. Her hull is covered with several layers of armour which can soak up and contain a lot of damage, save for some large calibre shells. She also has | + | <!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' --> |
| + | As with her sister ship [[Admiral Hipper]], the {{PAGENAME}} features some of the best protection of all cruisers in the game. Her hull is covered with several layers of armour which can soak up and contain a lot of damage, save for some large calibre shells. She also has a very high crew count with 1,776 sailors. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Unfortunately, the {{PAGENAME}}'s real-life fame will make her a priority target: expect to be showered with shells of all calibres from the enemies and putting off fires often. Due to how frequently and easily your secondary and AA armaments will be disabled (and several crew members being killed in process), it is recommended not to repair them to reduce crew loss until you've cleared from enemy fire. | ||
| − | |||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}} | ||
| − | For a ship of this size and displacement, the {{PAGENAME}}'s top speed is fairly good at 70 km/h (AB) | + | <!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' --> |
| + | For a ship of this size and displacement, the {{PAGENAME}}'s top speed is fairly good at 70 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB). However, due to her mass and high centre of gravity, the {{PAGENAME}} suffers from excessive listing problem that reduce her traverse speed and throw off the aiming reticules into the air. This can be fatal if the ship is flooding, as too much listing angle can result in the ship capsizing and sinking. | ||
=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| Line 32: | Line 36: | ||
=== Primary armament === | === Primary armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Primary}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' --> | ||
{{main|20.3 cm/60 SK C/34 (203 mm)}} | {{main|20.3 cm/60 SK C/34 (203 mm)}} | ||
| − | {{PAGENAME}}'s primary armaments consists of eight 203 mm/60 SK C/34 cannons arranged in four twin turrets mounted A-Bs-Xs-Y. While not the most powerful gun of its rank, it is still effective at dealing damage to all kinds of targets. One thing worth noting is that her APCBC rounds have very high penetration (265 mm at 10 km), this allows the {{PAGENAME}} to deal damage against heavily-armoured dreadnoughts, and especially deadly at closer range. | + | The {{PAGENAME}}'s primary armaments consists of eight 203 mm/60 SK C/34 cannons arranged in four twin turrets mounted A-Bs-Xs-Y. While not the most powerful gun of its rank, it is still effective at dealing damage to all kinds of targets. One thing worth noting is that her APCBC rounds have very high penetration (265 mm at 10 km), this allows the {{PAGENAME}} to deal damage against heavily-armoured dreadnoughts, and especially deadly at closer range. |
=== Secondary armament === | === Secondary armament === | ||
| Line 47: | Line 52: | ||
{{main|4 cm Bofors Flak 28 (40 mm)|2 cm/65 C/30 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}} | {{main|4 cm Bofors Flak 28 (40 mm)|2 cm/65 C/30 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}} | ||
| − | Prinz Eugen is covered with 40 mm and 20 mm AA guns, boasting an overall much more effective defence than her sister ship the [[Admiral Hipper]]. These guns easily protect the ship from close-range air assaults, while the 105 mm secondary guns will make sure high altitude bombers think twice before presenting themselves as an easy target, though they lack the proximity-fused shells sported by American and British heavy AA guns. It is best to aim the guns yourself if they are coming in from high altitude because most strategic bomber can't manoeuvre very well, making them easy to lead and aim at. The 40 mm and 20 mm autocannons are also great at wiping out torpedo boats and other small vessels. Since they often carry torpedoes that can one-shot or critically damage you, the wall of autocannon fire will make those torpedo boats think twice before rushing you, allowng you to focus more on the main target like other cruisers or destroyers. | + | The Prinz Eugen is covered with 40 mm and 20 mm AA guns, boasting an overall much more effective defence than her sister ship the [[Admiral Hipper]]. These guns easily protect the ship from close-range air assaults, while the 105 mm secondary guns will make sure high altitude bombers think twice before presenting themselves as an easy target, though they lack the proximity-fused shells sported by American and British heavy AA guns. It is best to aim the guns yourself if they are coming in from high altitude because most strategic bomber can't manoeuvre very well, making them easy to lead and aim at. The 40 mm and 20 mm autocannons are also great at wiping out torpedo boats and other small vessels. Since they often carry torpedoes that can one-shot or critically damage you, the wall of autocannon fire will make those torpedo boats think twice before rushing you, allowng you to focus more on the main target like other cruisers or destroyers. |
=== Additional armament === | === Additional armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Additional}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.'' --> | ||
{{main|G7a (533 mm)}} | {{main|G7a (533 mm)}} | ||
| Line 60: | Line 66: | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' | ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' | ||
| + | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | |||
* Great firepower, can take on any kind of targets | * Great firepower, can take on any kind of targets | ||
* Very tough protection against most shells | * Very tough protection against most shells | ||
* Powerful AA armaments, effective at all ranges | * Powerful AA armaments, effective at all ranges | ||
* Decent top speed despite its size | * Decent top speed despite its size | ||
| − | * | + | * Very high crew count increases her survivability |
| + | |||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * Priority target | + | |
| + | * Priority target: she will almost always be targeted by the enemy team | ||
* Catches fire very often in a firefight exchange | * Catches fire very often in a firefight exchange | ||
| − | * Excessive listing on a turn often | + | * Excessive listing on a turn often results in poor accuracy |
| − | * Armour is not enough to withstand some high-calibre shells | + | * Armour is not thick enough to withstand some high-calibre shells |
* Main battery magazines are located above shell rooms, meaning that a detonation is likely to be fatal | * Main battery magazines are located above shell rooms, meaning that a detonation is likely to be fatal | ||
| Line 77: | Line 85: | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
[[File:Prinz Eugen Underway.jpg|thumb|380x380px|The Prinz Eugen underway, circa 1943.]] | [[File:Prinz Eugen Underway.jpg|thumb|380x380px|The Prinz Eugen underway, circa 1943.]] | ||
| − | The | + | The Prinz Eugen was the third and final member of the completed Admiral Hipper-class of heavy cruisers. Launched in August 1938, she saw extensive service during WWII, including in the sinking of HMS Hood. Following the cessation of hostilities, she was transferred to the Americans who used her as a test target in the Baker nuclear test. Due to the damage received during the tests, she capsized and sank before repairs could be made.<ref name=":0">World War Co (n.d.)</ref> |
'''Design and development''' | '''Design and development''' | ||
| − | The German Kriegsmarine began to design heavy cruisers in the early 1930s, despite the fact that the Treaty of Versailles banned them from building any ships of the type. Two designs were considered - a heavy cruiser with eight 203 mm (8-inch) guns in four double turrets, and a light cruiser with twelve 152 mm (6-inch) guns in four triple turrets, similar to those found on the | + | The German Kriegsmarine began to design heavy cruisers in the early 1930s, despite the fact that the Treaty of Versailles banned them from building any ships of the type. Two designs were considered - a heavy cruiser with eight 203 mm (8-inch) guns in four double turrets, and a light cruiser with twelve 152 mm (6-inch) guns in four triple turrets, similar to those found on the [[Nürnberg]]. In the end, the heavier option was chosen; however, numerous design improvements resulted in the ship being significantly larger than originally intended.<ref name=":0" /> |
| − | The final design displaced 14,247 tons and was 205 metres long, larger than the pocket battleship | + | The final design displaced 14,247 tons and was 205 metres long, larger than the pocket battleship [[Admiral Graf Spee]].<ref name=":0" /> Armament was to consist of four dual 203 mm turrets, twelve 105 mm dual-purpose secondary guns and numerous anti-aircraft guns. The ship also carried 22 torpedoes in four triple launchers with 10 reloads, as well as three Arado Ar 196 scout planes.<ref name=":0" /> The main armour belt was between 70-80 mm in thickness, and armour of up to 160 mm thickness could be found on the conning tower. The ship could reach 32.5 kts (60 km/h) and had a range of 5050 nautical miles at 15 kts.<ref name=":0" /> |
| − | The German Kriegsmarine placed orders for a total of five [[Admiral Hipper (Family)| | + | The German Kriegsmarine placed orders for a total of five [[Admiral Hipper (Family)|Admiral Hipper-class]] heavy cruisers, to be known as [[Admiral Hipper]], Blücher, Prinz Eugen, Seydlitz, and Lützow. Of these, the Seydlitz and Lützow would never be completed; Lützow would be sold to the Soviet Union and eventually scrapped, while Seydlitz was scuttled in 1945 after plans to convert her into an aircraft carrier failed. The contract for Prinz Eugen was placed in November of 1935. Following three years of construction, the ship was launched in August of 1938.<ref name=":0" /> |
'''Service life''' | '''Service life''' | ||
| − | The | + | The Prinz Eugen was then fitted out and underwent numerous sea trials, before being formally commissioned on August 1st 1940. The ship then conducted exercises with U-boats and the battleship Bismarck, between September 1940 and April 1941.<ref name=":1">Rico, J (1998)</ref> |
| − | On May 18th, the | + | On May 18th, the Prinz Eugen accompanied the newly-commissioned Bismarck in Operation Rheinübung, or Exercise Rhine. After arriving in the Denmark Strait, the pair of ships engaged the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Hood. During the engagement, Prinz Eugen was able to hit Hood once before a shot from Bismarck detonated the battlecruiser's magazine, resulting in her destruction with the loss of all but 3 of her crew. After the Hood sank, the Prinz Eugen hit the Prince of Wales three times, without suffering any damage herself.<ref name=":1" /> |
| − | [[File:Prinz Eugen in Norway.jpg|thumb|350x350px|The | + | [[File:Prinz Eugen in Norway.jpg|thumb|350x350px|The Prinz Eugen moored in Norway; Admiral Scheer can be seen beside her.]] |
| − | Due to the | + | Due to the Bismarck<nowiki/>'s damaged state, the two warships broke off soon after the engagement. Prinz Eugen sailed for Brest, where she was repaired. Bismarck was not so lucky, sinking after a long engagement with the battleships HMS Rodney and King George V. While the Prinz Eugen was docked at the Brest shipyard, she was bombed and heavily damaged, losing 60 crew members. Soon after, she participated in the "Channel Dash", escorting battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau through the English Channel towards Kiel. She survived the dash without damage, having fired numerous 203 mm shells at pursuing British destroyers.<ref name=":1" /> |
| − | In February of 1942, the | + | In February of 1942, the Prinz Eugen departed for Norway with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. En-route, the submarine HMS Trident scored a torpedo hit on Prinz Eugen<nowiki/>'s stern. The hit caused severe damage to her stern and rudder, but she was still able to arrive at Trondheim, Norway under her own power. There, she joined Tirpitz and Admiral Scheer to perform attacks on Allied shipping convoys.<ref name=":1" /> |
| − | In January of 1945, as the situation looked dire for Germany, the | + | In January of 1945, as the situation looked dire for Germany, the Prinz Eugen was dispatched to Norway once again, this time to evacuate refugees and provide support. Between 10 March and 4 April 1945, the Prinz Eugen expended almost 5,000 rounds of 203 mm ammo. She also lost 9 men as a result of a Russian rocket. On May 7th 1945, along with the surrender of mainland German forces, the Prinz Eugen and Nürnberg surrendered in Copenhagen, Denmark.<ref name=":1" /> |
| − | [[File:Prinz Eugen Wreck.jpg|thumb|350x350px| | + | [[File:Prinz Eugen Wreck.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Prinz Eugen's wreck upside-down in Kwajelein Atoll. Note that the port-side propeller is removed.]] |
| − | After the surrender, | + | After the surrender, Prinz Eugen was handed to the British. Along with several other German and Japanese prize ships, she was handed over to the United States where she was commissioned as USS Prinz Eugen (IX-300). In early 1946, the Prinz Eugen traversed the Panama canal and sailed to Bikini Atoll, where she would carry out her final duty as a test vessel in the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests.<ref name=":1" /> |
| − | On July 1st 1946, the 'Able' nuclear bomb was dropped on an array of vessels, including the | + | On July 1st 1946, the 'Able' nuclear bomb was dropped on an array of vessels, including the Prinz Eugen. The ship, 1.1 km from the epicentre, suffered only minor damage. The second 'Baker' Nuclear test also failed to do significant damage. However, the shocks of two nuclear explosions caused leaks to form in the Prinz Eugen<nowiki/>'s hull. As well, the ship could not be repaired due to the high levels of radiation.<ref name=":1" /> On December 22nd 1946, the Prinz Eugen developed a severe list, and capsized in Kwajalein Atoll. The ship was never salvaged due to the levels of radiation, but one of the ship's propellers was removed and installed near Kiel as a memorial for those who served in the Second World War.<ref name=":1" /> |
=== [[wt:en/news/6498-development-prinz-eugen-steaming-into-the-atomic-age-en|Devblog]] === | === [[wt:en/news/6498-development-prinz-eugen-steaming-into-the-atomic-age-en|Devblog]] === | ||
Revision as of 08:46, 30 September 2021
| This page is about the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. For the other Admiral Hipper-class cruiser, see Admiral Hipper. |
Contents
Description
The Admiral Hipper-class, Prinz Eugen, 1945 is a premium gift rank IV German heavy cruiser with a battle rating of 5.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".
The Prinz Eugen is perhaps one of the most famous cruiser in World War II. It is best known for her long and fanciful career, from fighting alongside the battleship Bismarck in the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941, to the breakthrough between the British channel in 1942, and providing fire support for the retreating German army in the Eastern Front in 1945. The Prinz Eugen's career literally ended with a bang when she was used as one of the targets for Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in 1946.
General info
Survivability and armour
As with her sister ship Admiral Hipper, the Prinz Eugen features some of the best protection of all cruisers in the game. Her hull is covered with several layers of armour which can soak up and contain a lot of damage, save for some large calibre shells. She also has a very high crew count with 1,776 sailors.
Unfortunately, the Prinz Eugen's real-life fame will make her a priority target: expect to be showered with shells of all calibres from the enemies and putting off fires often. Due to how frequently and easily your secondary and AA armaments will be disabled (and several crew members being killed in process), it is recommended not to repair them to reduce crew loss until you've cleared from enemy fire.
Mobility
For a ship of this size and displacement, the Prinz Eugen's top speed is fairly good at 70 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB). However, due to her mass and high centre of gravity, the Prinz Eugen suffers from excessive listing problem that reduce her traverse speed and throw off the aiming reticules into the air. This can be fatal if the ship is flooding, as too much listing angle can result in the ship capsizing and sinking.
Modifications and economy
2 × 450 / 600 / 50 % 2 × 190 / 190 / 190 % | Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armament
Primary armament
The Prinz Eugen's primary armaments consists of eight 203 mm/60 SK C/34 cannons arranged in four twin turrets mounted A-Bs-Xs-Y. While not the most powerful gun of its rank, it is still effective at dealing damage to all kinds of targets. One thing worth noting is that her APCBC rounds have very high penetration (265 mm at 10 km), this allows the Prinz Eugen to deal damage against heavily-armoured dreadnoughts, and especially deadly at closer range.
Secondary armament
These cannons are great for taking out destroyers, as they have a good rate of fire and damage output. They also makes decent anti-air guns for high altitude bombers, though not particularly reliable they will definitely make bomb drops harder to pull off. Depending on which target you want to focus on you may load different shells: HE shells for destroyers and other smaller vessels, time-fused HE for anti-air duties if there are a lot of bombers in the sky, and APHE for well-armoured destroyers. You can take manual control of the secondary guns (alt+2 by default), making them more effective and giving you the ability to change the shells depending on the situation you are in. However, this will leave you vulnerable to other cruisers because you will be focusing most of your attention on other vehicles, so it may be better to level up your AI gunners and leave the job to them, while you focus on other cruisers or destroyers with your powerful main guns.
Anti-aircraft armament
The Prinz Eugen is covered with 40 mm and 20 mm AA guns, boasting an overall much more effective defence than her sister ship the Admiral Hipper. These guns easily protect the ship from close-range air assaults, while the 105 mm secondary guns will make sure high altitude bombers think twice before presenting themselves as an easy target, though they lack the proximity-fused shells sported by American and British heavy AA guns. It is best to aim the guns yourself if they are coming in from high altitude because most strategic bomber can't manoeuvre very well, making them easy to lead and aim at. The 40 mm and 20 mm autocannons are also great at wiping out torpedo boats and other small vessels. Since they often carry torpedoes that can one-shot or critically damage you, the wall of autocannon fire will make those torpedo boats think twice before rushing you, allowng you to focus more on the main target like other cruisers or destroyers.
Additional armament
The Prinz Eugen is loaded with 22 G7a torpedoes launched from four of triple launchers placed in pairs, 11 can be launched from each side of the ship. Due to quantity of torpedoes, the Prinz Eugen can launch a barrages of torpedoes to damage one or more ships at medium-to-long ranges.
Usage in battles
Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective". Pros:
- Great firepower, can take on any kind of targets
- Very tough protection against most shells
- Powerful AA armaments, effective at all ranges
- Decent top speed despite its size
- Very high crew count increases her survivability
Cons:
- Priority target: she will almost always be targeted by the enemy team
- Catches fire very often in a firefight exchange
- Excessive listing on a turn often results in poor accuracy
- Armour is not thick enough to withstand some high-calibre shells
- Main battery magazines are located above shell rooms, meaning that a detonation is likely to be fatal
History
The Prinz Eugen was the third and final member of the completed Admiral Hipper-class of heavy cruisers. Launched in August 1938, she saw extensive service during WWII, including in the sinking of HMS Hood. Following the cessation of hostilities, she was transferred to the Americans who used her as a test target in the Baker nuclear test. Due to the damage received during the tests, she capsized and sank before repairs could be made.[1]
Design and development
The German Kriegsmarine began to design heavy cruisers in the early 1930s, despite the fact that the Treaty of Versailles banned them from building any ships of the type. Two designs were considered - a heavy cruiser with eight 203 mm (8-inch) guns in four double turrets, and a light cruiser with twelve 152 mm (6-inch) guns in four triple turrets, similar to those found on the Nürnberg. In the end, the heavier option was chosen; however, numerous design improvements resulted in the ship being significantly larger than originally intended.[1]
The final design displaced 14,247 tons and was 205 metres long, larger than the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.[1] Armament was to consist of four dual 203 mm turrets, twelve 105 mm dual-purpose secondary guns and numerous anti-aircraft guns. The ship also carried 22 torpedoes in four triple launchers with 10 reloads, as well as three Arado Ar 196 scout planes.[1] The main armour belt was between 70-80 mm in thickness, and armour of up to 160 mm thickness could be found on the conning tower. The ship could reach 32.5 kts (60 km/h) and had a range of 5050 nautical miles at 15 kts.[1]
The German Kriegsmarine placed orders for a total of five Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers, to be known as Admiral Hipper, Blücher, Prinz Eugen, Seydlitz, and Lützow. Of these, the Seydlitz and Lützow would never be completed; Lützow would be sold to the Soviet Union and eventually scrapped, while Seydlitz was scuttled in 1945 after plans to convert her into an aircraft carrier failed. The contract for Prinz Eugen was placed in November of 1935. Following three years of construction, the ship was launched in August of 1938.[1]
Service life
The Prinz Eugen was then fitted out and underwent numerous sea trials, before being formally commissioned on August 1st 1940. The ship then conducted exercises with U-boats and the battleship Bismarck, between September 1940 and April 1941.[2]
On May 18th, the Prinz Eugen accompanied the newly-commissioned Bismarck in Operation Rheinübung, or Exercise Rhine. After arriving in the Denmark Strait, the pair of ships engaged the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Hood. During the engagement, Prinz Eugen was able to hit Hood once before a shot from Bismarck detonated the battlecruiser's magazine, resulting in her destruction with the loss of all but 3 of her crew. After the Hood sank, the Prinz Eugen hit the Prince of Wales three times, without suffering any damage herself.[2]
Due to the Bismarck's damaged state, the two warships broke off soon after the engagement. Prinz Eugen sailed for Brest, where she was repaired. Bismarck was not so lucky, sinking after a long engagement with the battleships HMS Rodney and King George V. While the Prinz Eugen was docked at the Brest shipyard, she was bombed and heavily damaged, losing 60 crew members. Soon after, she participated in the "Channel Dash", escorting battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau through the English Channel towards Kiel. She survived the dash without damage, having fired numerous 203 mm shells at pursuing British destroyers.[2]
In February of 1942, the Prinz Eugen departed for Norway with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. En-route, the submarine HMS Trident scored a torpedo hit on Prinz Eugen's stern. The hit caused severe damage to her stern and rudder, but she was still able to arrive at Trondheim, Norway under her own power. There, she joined Tirpitz and Admiral Scheer to perform attacks on Allied shipping convoys.[2]
In January of 1945, as the situation looked dire for Germany, the Prinz Eugen was dispatched to Norway once again, this time to evacuate refugees and provide support. Between 10 March and 4 April 1945, the Prinz Eugen expended almost 5,000 rounds of 203 mm ammo. She also lost 9 men as a result of a Russian rocket. On May 7th 1945, along with the surrender of mainland German forces, the Prinz Eugen and Nürnberg surrendered in Copenhagen, Denmark.[2]
After the surrender, Prinz Eugen was handed to the British. Along with several other German and Japanese prize ships, she was handed over to the United States where she was commissioned as USS Prinz Eugen (IX-300). In early 1946, the Prinz Eugen traversed the Panama canal and sailed to Bikini Atoll, where she would carry out her final duty as a test vessel in the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests.[2]
On July 1st 1946, the 'Able' nuclear bomb was dropped on an array of vessels, including the Prinz Eugen. The ship, 1.1 km from the epicentre, suffered only minor damage. The second 'Baker' Nuclear test also failed to do significant damage. However, the shocks of two nuclear explosions caused leaks to form in the Prinz Eugen's hull. As well, the ship could not be repaired due to the high levels of radiation.[2] On December 22nd 1946, the Prinz Eugen developed a severe list, and capsized in Kwajalein Atoll. The ship was never salvaged due to the levels of radiation, but one of the ship's propellers was removed and installed near Kiel as a memorial for those who served in the Second World War.[2]
Devblog
Prinz Eugen, named after an 18th-century Austrian general, was the third and last ship of the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers to see completion. Although being ready for commissioning in July 1940, an RAF air raid on Kiel lightly damaged the warship, causing its commissioning to be delayed until August.
After passing sea trials in late 1940, Prinz Eugen was assigned to its first, and arguably its most well-known combat mission - Operation Rheinübung - alongside battleship Bismarck in May 1941. Following some repairs in France, Prinz Eugen was assigned to operations in Norwegian waters in 1942, though this undertaking was cut short by a successful torpedo attack performed by the British submarine HMS Trident, which heavily damaged Prinz Eugen. As a result, Prinz Eugen was ordered back to Germany for repairs.
Once repaired, Prinz Eugen returned to service in the late stages of WWII, acting initially as a training vessel for naval officers and providing artillery support for German ground units on the Eastern Front later on.
After the ceasefire in Europe, Prinz Eugen was handed over to the U.S. Navy as a war prize. After a detailed study of the ship’s design, the U.S. Navy assigned the warship to a nuclear weapons test at the Bikini Atoll in 1946. Having survived two nuclear blasts one aerial and one underwater Prinz Eugen with minor damage was towed to Enubuj Island which was a part of Kwajalein Atoll. There the cruiser was the target of another underwater nuclear explosion. The ship stayed afloat again but the damage caused, coupled with the lack of a concerted effort for survivability, resulted in it eventually capsizing and sinking.
Media
- Skins
- Images
- Store Pack Images
- Devblog Images
See also
- Vessels of a similar role, configuration or era
External links
References
Bibliography
- WW2 Cruisers. (n.d.). Hipper Class. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website
- Rico, J. M. (1998). The Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website
| Germany heavy cruisers | |
|---|---|
| Admiral Hipper-class | Admiral Hipper · Prinz Eugen |
| Deutschland-class | Admiral Graf Spee |
| Germany premium ships | |
|---|---|
| Motor torpedo boats | LS 4 Esau · KM-5 · S-204 Lang · S-701 |
| Minelayers | VS-8 |
| Sub-chasers | M-802 |
| Frigates | Lübeck |
| Destroyers | Jaguar · Luchs · T31 · Z20 Karl Galster · Z25 · Z47 |
| Light cruisers | Karlsruhe |
| Heavy cruisers | Prinz Eugen |
| Battleships | SMS Nassau |
