

SCHARNHORST was built at the Wilhelmshaven shipyard. Initially designed as a heavy cruiser, then a battleship to match the French Dunkerque class. It was launched on October 3, 1936. The name "Scharnhorst" was given to the ship by the widow of the commander of the previous "Scharnhorst". It entered service on January 7, 1939. After the exercises in the Baltic Sea, he was sent to the shipyard to make structural corrections. Through July and August, the bow shape. Scharnhorst and the twin Gneisenau were the first Kriegsmarine ships whose construction was not restricted by the constraints of the Treaty of Versailles. Although the armor was equal to battleships of that period and was so classified by the Germans, the British considered them a line cruiser, which is sometimes repeated in the literature. The reason for this was relatively weak armament for a battleship. The guns originally intended for Scharnhorst ended up aboard the battleship Bismarck.
More on the manufacturer's website: