Admiral Hipper's construction history illustrates the cost of continuing to alter a design after launch. The straight stem was replaced, the funnel changed, gunnery trials continued into September 1939, and the cruiser returned to Blohm & Voss for more modifications in November. Baltic trials resumed in January 1940, but ice intervened and the ship was not pronounced fully operational until February, well after the war had begun. The sequence turns post-launch design changes into a concrete readiness cost at the moment Germany most needed the new cruiser.
Chapter · 24:24-27:35
Admiral Hipper was still being altered as war began
Post-launch bow and funnel changes, continuing gunnery trials, further yard work, and winter ice delayed full operational readiness until February 1940.