Battleships of the Scharnhorst Class

Book excerpt: In this WWII naval history, an expert in German warship design examines the legendary battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. This concise yet authoritative summary of Scharnhorst class vessels covers the design history and careers of these WWII-era warships. Much like its companion volume, Battleships of the Bismark Class, it offers a detailed description of both ships with full technical details. The author also provides an outline of their combat service, heavily illustrated with plans, battle maps, and a substantial collection of photographs. The Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were the product of a long and complicated design process. Combining speed and power, these two battleships took part in a number of major operations, including the infamous ‘Channel Dash’.