Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster.
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.

NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

Ostfriesland

From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships
Ostfriesland
A German province bordering on the Netherlands and the North Sea.

(BB: dp. 24 500 (f.); l. 546'; b. 93'3"; dr. 29'6"; s. 21 k.; cpl. 1150; a. 12 12", 14 5.9", 6 19.7" tt.)
Ostfriesland, a German battleship built at Wilhelmshaven, Germany in 1908; launched in September 1909; commissioned in the Imperial German Navy in May 1911; surrendered to the Allies following World War I; was taken over by the U. S. Navy and commissioned 7 April 1920 at Rosyth, Scotland, Capt. J. F. Hellweg in command.
Though in need of repairs, the ship managed to sail to New York where she decommissioned 20 September 1920. Ostfriesland, with several other ex-German warships, became targets for a demonstration of air power. Bombed by Army planes from Langley Field in Va., she was sunk 21 July 1921 about 60 miles off the Virginia Capes.

Click On Image For Full Size	Size	Image Description	Source
	305k	*Ostfriesland* in drydock during her German Navy service, 1911-1918.	Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
	302k	*Ostfriesland* - heavy guns.	Digital Source: Bain News Service. LOC photo # LC-B2-3290-2 / 17760v from lcweb2.loc.gov.
	296k	Four photo PDF of the *Ostfriesland* while in German service.	Photos courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
	NR	GERMAN BATTLESHIP WILL BE TURNED OVER TO UNCLE SAM The *Ostfriesland* was one of the first German battleships delivered at the Firth of Forth under the Treaty of Versailles. Ultimately the vessel will be turned over to the American government.	Image and text provided by University of Utah, Marriott Library. Photo courtesy of The Ogden Standard. (Ogden City, Utah) 1913-1920, 20 April 1920, LAST EDITION - 4 P.M., Image 10, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	NR	Naval Spoils Coming to America Promise a Profitable Study Experts Likely to Gain Many Valuable Secrets of Construction in Overhauling Five German War Craft Soon to Arrive Here The *Ostfriesland* is pictured to the right.	Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation Photo courtesy of The Sun and the New York Herald. (New York [N.Y.]) 1920-1920, 11 July 1920, Section 4 Sunday Magazine, Image 41, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	NR	Uncle Sam's German Warships To Reach New York This Week Five Vessels Allotted to America by the Allied Commission The Ostfriesland* once the pride of the German navy, is one of the ships awarded to the United States by the Allied Naval Commission*	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 01 August 1920, Image 60, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	1.27k	Five battle scarred, rusty German warships...	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from The Washington Times.(Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 13 August 1920, FINAL EDITION, Image 3, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	390k	America Gets Five German Warships The five German warships allocated to the United States arrived in New York harbor the other day. After being exhibited and studied, they will be destroyed. The photo shows the battleship *Ostfriesland* towing the cruiser *Frankfurt*.	Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation. Photo & text by The Sun and the New York Herald. (New York [N.Y.]) 1920-1920, 15 August 1920, Section 5 Rotographic Section, Image 47, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	630k	CHANGING THEIR NATIONALITY	Image and text provided by Oklahoma Historical Society. Photo & text by The Daily Ardmoreite. (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 17 September 1920, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	NR	How Germany's Humbled Warcraft Came to America Captain Hellweg {in Center) and Staff The *Ostfriesland* at Ponta Delgada AMERICAN sailors lined up on board the *Ostfriesland* as the ship was taken out of commission at New York Navy Yard	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 26 September 1920, Image 63 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Ostfriesland27	NR	EX-GERMAN WARSHIPS ARRIVE IN NEW YORK The *Ostfriesland* towing the shattered *Frankfort. These are two of the German battleships allotted to the U.S.. The Ostfriesland* was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Schmidt in the Battle of Jutland. In the same battle the cruiser *Frankfort* was struck repeatedly by British shells. They will be on exhibition for two weeks then used for experimental purposes and destroyed within one year.	Image and text provided by Oklahoma Historical Society. Photo & text by The Daily Ardmoreite. (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 06 October 1920, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	1.05k	Aircraft Against Dreadnoughts: The Battle of the Future HOW AIRPLANES WILL FIGHT AN ENEMY FLEET BY DAY AND NIGHT	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 17 April 1921, Image 27, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	1.83k	Direct Hits From the Air While Traveling at Speed of Ninety Miles an Hour	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo & text by Evening Star. (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 01 May 1921, Image 73, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	1.31k	The Stage Is Set for the Test Between Plane and Warship German Ships To Be Bombed In Mock War	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 05 June 1921, Image 25, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	NR	Scores Of Planes And Balloons Will Be Used In Bombardment of Vessels To Determine Usefulness	Image and text provided by Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ. Photo from Bisbee Daily Review. (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 19 June 1921, SECOND SECTION, Image 7, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	468k	General William Mitchell and the 1st Provisional Air Brigade.	USN photo # Lot-6095-1 from the album entitled, First Provisional Air Brigade, Langley Field, Hampton, Virginia, 1921. From the William Mitchell Collection. Courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com
	343k	100lb demotion – Martin aircraft, with MK.20 rack and Mk.1 bomb.	USN photo # Lot-6095-4 from the album entitled, First Provisional Air Brigade, Langley Field, Hampton, Virginia, 1921. From the William Mitchell Collection. Courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com
	1.18k	*Ostfriesland* before being sunk during the Billy Mitchell aircraft bombing tests on German and U.S. Navy ships, showing the vulnerability of ships to aerial bombing, 18 July 1921. Note, U.S. Army C-4 lighter-than-air aircraft to the right.	USN photo # Lot-6080-8 from the William "Billy" Mitchell Collection courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com
	789k	Anti-Ship Bombing Demonstration, 1921. The Commanding General personally directed the attack, 20-21 July 1921.	USN photo # Lot-6095-38 from the album entitled, First Provisional Air Brigade, Langley Field, Hampton, Virginia, 1921. From the William Mitchell Collection. Courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com
	841k	The German Battleship *Ostfriesland* at anchor off Virginia Capes on 20 July 1921. This is prior to the ship being attacked by Army Air Service bombers in evaluation of aerial ship bombardment. Note the targets visible on the ship.	US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1987.096.004.018 via Mike Green.
	5.10k	The Main Event. Six photo PDF of the *Ostfriesland* under attack by Navy F-5L aircraft during evaluation of aerial ship bombardment off Virginia Capes. Light 300 pound bombs were first used to simulate destruction of personnel. After crippling and disabling personnel and armament, heavy bombardment was begun to demonstrate that it was possible to sink battleships by aircraft. The final phase, 2000 pound demonstration bombs conclude the test.	USN photo s # Lot-6095-33/40 from the album entitled, First Provisional Air Brigade, Langley Field, Hampton, Virginia, 1921. From the William Mitchell Collection. Courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com
	655k	The German Battleship *Ostfriesland* under attack by Navy F-5L aircraft during evaluation of aerial ship bombardment off Virginia Capes. The photograph was taken at 2:13 PM on 20 July 1921.	US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1987.096.004.019 via Mike Green.
	NR	A NAVY K.O. A 230 pound bomb from a navy seaplane lands on the stern of the former German battleship *Ostfriesland*, in the opening experiments of the final phase of the joint army and navy bombing tests off the Virginia Capes to determine the effect of aerial attacks on capital ships.	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 31 July 1921, Image 66, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	440k	Sepia rotogravure of the former German dreadnought *Ostfriesland* being destroyed by Army Martin bombers for practice. The caption writes, "Each one of the seven planes taking part in the attack dropped one bomb containing 2,000 pounds of TNT. After the fifth bomb had been dropped the vessel was seen to be going down by the stern. one more bomb completed the destruction and the dreadnought sank beneath the waves.	Photo courtesy of periodpaper.com
	1.44k	Pride of German Navy Sunk by U.S. Bombs Picture snapped just as a Martin bomber dropped one of the six 2,000-pound projectiles, which sent a column of water 600 feet in the air when it exploded.	Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 26 July 1921, Image 3, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	261k	Four photo PDF of the German Battleship *Ostfriesland* under attack and sinking.	US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1987.096.004.020.23 via Mike Green.
	1.14k	U.S. Navy ships prepare to watch the Billy Mitchell bombing experiments, 20 July 1921. The ship at the far left is Ohio (BB-12). Moving to the right, the next two are the Delaware (BB-28) and North Dakota (BB-29), but the photo is not clear enough to tell which is which. The next BB (closest to the camera) is the Utah (BB-31), and the ship at the far right side of the photo is the Florida (BB-30).	Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen. Image courtesy of National Archives, Washington, DC. via oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
Ostfriesland28	NR	SINGLE $20,000 CHEMICAL BOMB SINKS $20,000,000 DREADNOUGHT ....In the bomb was the familiar ingredients used in household medicine cabinets...to dye the children's shoes and mothers' dresses....In the 2,000 pound bomb which sank a $20.000,000 dreadnought, without even a direct hit on the vessel, were the same ingredients that go in the aspirin tablet on the bathroom shelf, the dyes in the children's shoes, or in Milady's dromes. Five such bombs can be made for the cost of one 14 inch shell.	Image and text provided by University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR. Photo & text by Capital Journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 26 August 1921, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	354k	*Ostfriesland* 2m Multibeam.	Photo courtesy of bathymetricresearch.com by Gary Fabian.
	229k	*Ostfriesland* profile view with water depths.	Photo courtesy of bathymetricresearch.com by Gary Fabian.