It had been planned to convert both ships to carry 15" armament, but the plans were put aside because the conversions would have further reduced freeboard and increased bow trim. But with the damage to Gneisenau, the plans were reconsidered. Gneisenau's bow was completely destroyed, as was one turret. If the bow was rebuilt to be longer, the bow trim problem would be solved. A study was performed, and the following changes were recommended:
- Re-engineer the electrical plant to meet
increased power requirements
- Reinforce the substructure for the existing
barbettes for larger turrets
- Alter ammo handling and fire control for
the larger shells and guns
- Lengthen the bow by 21 feet to add buoyancy
foreward
- Manufacture modified Bismarck-type turrets
to fit the existing barbettes
- Install the mast and hanger like Scharnhorst's,
already manufactured
Also considered, but rejected because of
time and supply constraints:
- Widen the entire hull to restore draft
to the designed level
- Replace the 15cm and 105mm guns with 128mm
C/41 DP twin mounts
All but the last two were accepted. Turrets and guns were ordered from Krupp, with one turret completed and the other two ahead of schedule when the project was stopped. A new bow was designed, being 10 meters longer, without the bulbous form and designed to ship less water. The existing turrets were removed, and the damaged bow cut away back to frame 185.7, Part of the side armor, deck armor, and torpedo bulkhead were removed adjacent to the foreward turret also.
The conversion would have taken 120,000 man-days to complete, or a little over a year with a workforce of 300. The conversion progressed well, with the ship ready for her new turrets and bow by Jan 1943. But on 31 Dec 1942, a German fleet had attacked a Russian-bound convoy with little success. Hitler became angry, and dictated that all German capital ships and cruisers were to be broken up for scrap. Work on Gneisenau stopped on 2 Feb 1943, and all material was diverted to other areas. The guns from both the old and new turrets became shore batteries. Her usable equipment and remaining armament was removed, and the ship remained a useless hulk.
| Ship Damaged 26 Feb 1942 |
Repair Work Started Mar 1942 |
Taken out of Service 1 Jul 1942 |
Re-commissioned N/A |
| Fate Project ended with Hitler's order Jan 1943 |
Builders Deutche Worke, Gotenhafen |
Complement N/A |
|
| Displacement 32,980 tons standard, 40,080 tons full load |
Dimensions 774.3" WL ' x 98.43' |
Draught 32' |
|
| Main guns 6 x 15" (3 x 2) |
Secondary guns 12 x 5.9" (6 x 2) |
Light guns 14 x 4.1" (7 x 2) 16 x 37mm (8 x 2) 28 x 20mm |
Torpedo tubes 6 x 21" deck mounted |
| Armour Belt: 12.59" Turrets: 14.1" Deck: 4.1" + 1.96" C.T.: 13.77 3 Arado 196 sea planes, hanger |
|||
| Machinery 12 wagner 740 psi boilers |
Turbines Germania geared |
Power output 160,080 shp |
Shafts 3 |
| Speed 32 kts |
Range 9,020 nm @ 15 knts |
Fuel 5,355 tons oil |
|
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