SMS Ostfriesland was a
Helgoland class battleship commissioned on 01 Aug 1911. Although it fought in all major battles of WW1, it was famous for being sunk by Billy Mitchell’s bombers in 1921; although ironically the ship wasn’t modern enough nor considered enough of a threat to be interred at Scapa Flow but rather allowed to remain in Germany after the war.
The Army’s attacks included 2 bombing runs with 230 lb bombs (8 hits did no significant damage), the next two attacks used 600 lb bombs of which the 5 hits registered had no effect against the 2.5” deck armor, but the near misses caused 5 deg of flooding through the hull.
The next day started with 1,000 lb bomb attacks, of which 3 hit. Again, the hits caused little damage but the shock from the near misses caused increased flooding. The next attack used 2,000 lb bombs (which the Navy did not know about) - none hit but the shock from 3 near misses was so severe that flooding increased rapidly resulting in the ship rolling over and sinking, 21 July 1921.
Length: 548 ft, Beam: 93 ft. Displacement: 24,700 tons at full load.
Ostfriesland in 1915 with a zeppelin overhead
Ostfriesland at anchor prior to the tests
A bomb explodes off
Ostfriesland's port bow
Ostfriesland sinking by the stern
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