After the sinking of the Bismarck the Tirpitz was the only large battleship of the German Navy. Put into service on 25.02.1941, she carried a crew of 2,608 men and had a displacement of 52,600 tons. In 1942 she was transferred to Norway where operated from fjord bases against British convoys. Numerous British air attacks caused only minor damage, whereas an attack by 3 British mini U-boats on 22.09.1943 proved more successful. British noval planes caused major damage to the Tirpitz on 03.04.1944. Finally, on 12.11.1944, 36 British bombers achieved three direct hits, causing the Tirpitz to capsize with loss of 1204 men.