The German Battleship Graf Spee after it was scuttled (Photo)

Some cool photos I have not seen of the Graf Spee after she was scuttled.

After the Graf Spee was scuttled it did not sink to the bottom of the ocean, it remained stuck on the muddy ocean floor for nearly a year. Only then did it sink into the mud and disappear from view

Photos here: Admiral Graf Spee - Gallery - The Wreck



The wreck of Admiral Graf Spee. After the ship was scuttled it started to sink deeper and deeper into the mud until it finaly disappeared below the water surface. The hull broke in two pieces just in front of barbette B.




A close-up of the out-burned fighting tower of Admiral Graf Spee. The photo on 2. February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, from the light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. The photos was to be used in an intelligence report.



Another photo from 2. February 1940 taken by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN. The photo shows the forward broadside (15 cm gun) director partially collapsed to starboard. A crew member from USS Helena is sitting on it. View looks aft, with the forward superstructure in the background.



A photo of the open bridge. In the foreground the top of the armored conning tower, with its rangefinder and periscopes, can be seen. Among the instruments visible on open bridge are target designators, directors, rangekeepers, ship speed and course indicators, ready lights, selector switches, telephone jack boxes, voice tubes and howlers. The rear of the forward 28 cm
(11-inch) triple gun turret is in the background. Photo was taken by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, 2. February 1940.



Here the wreck of Admiral Graf Spee is sunk pretty much into the mud. Notice that the radar equipment and rangefinder is no longer present.



One of the eight 15 cm SK L/55 C28 secondary guns. The gun on the photo is the second gun on the port side (PII). To the far left, the port side 10,5 cm SK/L65 C33 heavy anti-aircraft artillery can be seen. Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.



The port side 10,5 cm SK/L65 C33 heavy anti-aircraft artillery. Behind it, to the left, the port side crane.
Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.



Port side view of the funnel area. Searchlight on the partially collapsed funnel can be seen to the left. In the center of the photo is the aircraft catapult. To the right is the port side SL-4 rangefinder used for the port side battery of 15 cm guns.
Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.



The partially collapsed funnel and the searchlight platform with searchlight and anti-aircraft guns mounted seen from port.
Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.



A view of the starboard 10,5 cm SK/L65 C33 heavy anti-aircraft artillery next to the funnel. Notice the remains of a 2 cm L65 C30 anti-aircraft gun on the searchlight platform mounted on the funnel. Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.



A view towards aft where the hull broke in two pieces. Notice the catapult that is turned 90 degress from zero position. Also the remains of the 10,5 cm rangefinder on the aft command center and the aft 10,5 cm SK/L65 C33 heavy anti-aircraft artillery can be seen. Photo: Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN.

 

Great photo's!

 

is it still there on the bottom?

 

The hull is, but everything above the waterline was chopped up years ago. There was a company salvaging bits and pieces (pieces that got progressively larger as time went on), but I think they ran into some legal problems a few years ago.

 

Really enjoyed seeing this shots. They are new to me . I always thought the pocket battleships were handsome craft.

Gaines

 

Great pics! Glad they got the chance to take them and examine the ship before she finally went down.

 

These are great photos. I must have missed this thread the first time around.

 

wow those were some really neat photos. I've never seen photos of the Graf Spee after it was scuttled. I've only seen pictures of it before it was scuttled and when it was being scuttled. This is pretty neat.

 

That explains alot.

 

nice..I've been to Montevideo, and remember looking out to sea, imagining the Graf Spee...probably everyone in my unit never heard of the incident...many, many forgotten battles, men, ships,etc......

 

Graf Spee's main rangefinder was recently recovered and is on display in Montevideo; there's a photo in the wikipedia article on Graf Spee. The also recovered a Nazi eagle with swastika; there was some debate how that should be displayed.

 

I would think destroy the swastika, display the eagle.....Third Reich in Ruins shows eagles like that as building ornaments

 

no battleship but "Panzerschiff" or after reclassification (heavy) cruiser in 1940 of the remaining ships Scheer and Lützow(ex Deutschland)