The Bismark, the outcome of the 1935 naval rearmament program, was laid down on july 1, 1936 at the Blohm and Voss shipyards in Hamburg. It cost was estimated at 196 million marks. With an overall length of 251 meters and a beam of 38 meters, the ship required a crew of 2092 men. It was launched on February 14, 1939 and entered active service on August 24, 1940. It was during the “Rheinübung” campaign that it sank the English battle ship Hood and damaged the Prince of Wales in the strait of Denmark on May 26, 1941. With its rubber hit by a plane from the English aircraft carrier Ark Royal (and therefore unable to maneuver), the Bismark faced the English battleships King George V and Rodney during the battle of May 27, 1941. The Bismark was hit by several torpedoes and, after having run out of ammunition, the ship was scuttled.