Which aircraft located the battleship Bismarck in May 1941?

Short answer

A Consolidated PBY Catalina from RAF Coastal Command: aircraft "Z" of 209 Squadron, flying from the Castle Archdale flying boat base on Lower Lough Erne (Northern Ireland). It discovered the German battleship at 10:10 on 26 May 1941, about 690 nautical miles (1,280 km) northwest of Brest.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which aircraft located the battleship Bismarck in May 1941?

Consolidated PBY Catalina landing at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (USA), circa in 1943

A Coastal Command flying boat

An RAF Coastal Command Catalina flying from the Castle Archdale flying boat base, on Lower Lough Erne (Northern Ireland), located the German battleship Bismarck on 26 May 1941, about 690 nautical miles (1,280 km) northwest of Brest. The aircraft was Catalina "Z" of 209 Squadron, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs. The sighting of the battleship in the Atlantic occurred at 10:10 on that 26 May, at an approximate position of 49° 33' north and 21° 47' west.

Who really saw the battleship

Briggs, however, was not at the controls of the aircraft at the moment of the sighting, and it was actually the American Leonard B. "Tuck" Smith who spotted the Bismarck. The British credited only Briggs, since he was the aircraft's commander, and they did not want it known that Americans were involved, as they were still considered neutral.

Under anti-aircraft fire

The Bismarck's anti-aircraft guns scored several direct hits on the Catalina, but caused no critical damage, and the crew was able to remain airborne.