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→Trivia: historical
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
* During the hunt for ''Bismarck'', HMS ''Ark Royal''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> first attack wave of Swordfish torpedo bombers mistook HMS ''Sheffield'' for ''Bismarck'' and attacked her. Only faulty detonators on the torpedoes and fine ship handling saved her. It was ''Ark Royal''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> second wave (with different detonators) that crippled the ''Bismarck''.
*Laid down on the 31st Jan 1935, launched 23rd July '36 and commissioned into the fleet 25th Aug 1937 Sheffield would have one of the most active and long lived career any RN cruiser.
*She was given the nickname "Shiny Sheff" due to many of her fittings being made with stainless steel rather than the usual brass. She was also the first RN ship to be equipped with radar.
*Her first actions in the war were covering during the Norwegian campaign, before she was moved to the Mediterranean theatre. Here she took part in various operations, including the Battle of Cape Spartivento, convoy intercepts and shelling of Genoa.
*She famously took part in the hunt for Bismarck, shadowing the ship to keep contact. During the hunt HMS ''Ark Royal''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> first attack wave of Swordfish torpedo bombers mistook HMS ''Sheffield'' for ''Bismarck'' and attacked her. Only faulty detonators on the torpedoes and fine ship handling saved her. It was ''Ark Royal''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> second wave (with different detonators) that crippled the ''Bismarck''. Following this she helped to track and sink a couple of German naval supply ships.
*She then swapped between various Med and Russia convoys operations, in which time she took part in the Battle of Barents Sea, where she engaged the Admiral Hipper and sunk Z16 *Friedrich Eckoldt. She also covered the Salerno landings.
*Her final combat actions were assisting in the sinking of the Scharnhorst in Dec '43, and covering on carrier raids against the Tirptiz.
*She was sent for a refit in America in preparation to be sent to the Far East, but the war ended before she was finished.
*She went through various postwar refits, before finally being decommissioned in 1964. Attempts were made to save her, but Belfast was found to be in better condition, and so she was broken up in 1967.
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