KMS Seydlitz (Heavy Cruiser)

KMS Seydlitz was to be the fourth ship in the Admiral Hipper class heavy cruisers. She had the same design as KMS Prinz Eugen and was laid down in Bremen in early 1937 by Deschimag & Company. On 19 January 1939, the finished hull of Seydlitz slid into water. Wrok progressed and the new "Atlantic bow" was refitted in July. When war broke out, Grand Admiral Erich Raeder canceled all Z-Plan ships in progress, and the work on the heavy cruisers Seydlitz and KMS L�tzow was halted. Seydlitz was about 66.5% complete. Quite likely all the 8-inch turrets were finished, if not also the 8-inch guns. The vessel would have been completed in January 1941.
Following KMS Tirpitz's narrow escape from British carrier-based aircarft in March 1942, the need for maritime fighter cover for capital ships was realized. Raeder decided to resume work on the aircraft carrier KMS Graf Zeppelin, and to convert Seydlitz into a carrier. For information on Seydlitz the aircraft carrier, please follow this link.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
Technical data and/or diagram of Admiral Hipper class cruisers.
Seydlitz being launched.
Seyzlitz at Bremen, September/October 1942. Note the scaffolding around the funnel, about to be dismantled to make room for the flight deck.

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