KMS Seydlitz (Aircraft Carrier)

In 1942, it was decided that the hull of the half-finished heavy cruiser KMS Seydlitz should be converted to an aircraft carrier, in order to provide local air cover for German capital ships. In Bremen, work began to dismantle the superstructure of the would-be cruiser. Probably the armament was already removed to the Atlantic Wall or the Norwegian coast. Some time around November or December 1942, all remaining superstructure was removed and Seydlitz left Bremen for K�nigsberg.
On New Year's Eve, 1942, the Battle of the Barents Sea took place, in which a superior German naval force was turned away by British light cruisers and destroyers. Hitler was furious and ordered all capital ships decommissioned and all works in progress abandoned. In the few months Seydlitz spent at K�nigsberg, not much work towards becoming an aircraft carrier could have been done; only some basic flight deck support construction had begun.
No more work were ever done on Seydlitz. She remained in the Schichau Yards in K�nigsberg until the Russians arrived in April 1945, when she was scuttled to prevent capture. She was renamed Poltava by the Russians and plans were made to rebuild her. They were canceled and the hull was scrapped around 1950-51.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.

Technical data and/or diagram of Seydlitz aircraft carrier.

Seyzlitz at Bremen, September/October 1942. Notice the scaffolding around the funnel, about to be dismantled to make room for the flight deck.

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Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of Seydlitz aircraft carrier.
	Seyzlitz at Bremen, September/October 1942. Notice the scaffolding around the funnel, about to be dismantled to make room for the flight deck.