Prinz Eugen

Rolf Steiner · Post by **Rolf Steiner** » Sat May 05, 2007 6:23 pm

rather enjoyable afternoon on HMS Belfast this afternoon, which incredibly I'd never visited before... anyhow it said something in one of the display things about the Prinz Eugen surviving the war but then being used as a 'target' in a nuclear bomb test???

phylo_roadking · Post by **phylo_roadking** » Sat May 05, 2007 7:11 pm

Yes, one of the Bikini Atoll test I think. It and a number of other hulks. You can see them all anchored in position as the blast goes off in some of the old footage. It was to test the effect of blast and shock/tidal wave at sea on surface vessels, same as they built all those dinky houses you see being blown down in the Nevada land tests. As far as I remember, even this didnt sink her, she ended up turned turtle but still afloat?

Magnus · Post by **Magnus** » Sun May 06, 2007 3:06 am

Actually, she took two blasts and was still afloat.

The first one, test Able of "Operation Crossroads", did only light damage to the side facing the blast. The second blast, test Baker, managed to inflict some damage below the waterline.

After these tests she was towed away and left to rest. She developed a list but it still took her six days to sink.

Doktor Krollspell · Post by **Doktor Krollspell** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:08 am

Hello Gentlemen!

Here's an interesting article which goes into detail about the "Prinz Eugen" and the damage the ship recieved during "Operation Crossroads".
The photo of the "Prinz Eugen" at Bikini Lagoon is from the same website...

http://www.warship.org/no31990.htm

The "Prinz Eugen" in position on 14 June 1946

http://www.warship.org

Regards,

Krollspell

Rolf Steiner · Post by **Rolf Steiner** » Sun May 06, 2007 3:53 pm

thanks gents, interesting stuff - hmm I trust that propeller monument isn't gently glowing in the dark as we speak! Bit of a sorry fate, but I guess (minus the nuclear bit), that's the way it often goes... great ships don't 'keep' as a rule.

on a related note, the fate of the Scharnhorst was rather sobering reading - not a high survival rate! Wonder if any of those guys are still about??

phylo_roadking · Post by **phylo_roadking** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:08 pm

Rolf, I'd say there could be a good chance, for I know there were at least three of the Bismark's few rescued crew still alive as of six months ago.

lwd · Post by **lwd** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:20 am

I have heard the Eugen is a good dive if you can get to Kwaj.

Tiornu · Post by **Tiornu** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:38 pm

What I would really like to know about the Scharnhorst survivors is which one supplied the damage details printed in the G&D book. There's very specific information about the path of the 14in shell into the boiler room.

derGespenst · Post by **derGespenst** » Mon May 07, 2007 3:28 pm

There's a famous photo of the mushroom cloud where you can see Prinz Eugen vertical on one side of the "stem" (right side, as I recall).

macbue · Post by **macbue** » Mon May 14, 2007 7:23 am

She survived both the nuke tests, and then she got sunk at the Kwajalein atoll. Because of the amount of readioactivity, she had, it was impossible to put her back into use again.

I noticed that you actually can see her on Google Earth. The coordinates are: 8°45′9.85″N, 167°40′59.16″E

Doktor Krollspell · Post by **Doktor Krollspell** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:32 am

Hello macbue!

A really interesting view on Google Earth using you coordinates!

Are you sure it's the "Prinz Eugen"? It sure looks hull shaped to me anyhow... Thanks for sharing this glimpse from "above".

Regards,

Krollspell

macbue · Post by **macbue** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:05 am

USS Prinz Eugen (she got renamed after the defeat of Germany) was sunk at the Kwajalein atoll. The size is about 200 meters or 650 feet at google earth. The size of the Prinz Eugen was 212 meters or about 700 feet. And since the Prinz Eugen don't rest on a flat bottom, the lengt of the ship is longer than it seems from a satellite photo.
The width of the ship is about 22 meters, the width of Prinz Eugen was 21,8 meters

Doktor Krollspell · Post by **Doktor Krollspell** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:30 pm

Hello again macbue!

The size is about 200 meters or 650 feet at google earth. The size of the Prinz Eugen was 212 meters or about 700 feet. And since the Prinz Eugen don't rest on a flat bottom, the lengt of the ship is longer than it seems from a satellite photo.
The width of the ship is about 22 meters, the width of Prinz Eugen was 21,8 meters

Well, if the Google Earth programme gives the above stated measures, then it's seems to be a pretty accurate assumption that the sunken ship actually is the "Prinz Eugen". Good measuring and conclusions my dear student!

Keep up the good work!

Mr. Krollspell

NASAAN101 · Post by **NASAAN101** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:24 pm

you all going to hate me, she and Bismarck were and as far as i go still are Brother/sister.
NIKKI

Feldgrau.net

Prinz Eugen

Prinz Eugen

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