What if Bismarck had not lost fuel to Prince of Wales and had not transmitted after briefly losing her pursuers?
Short answerShe might have escaped or ranged farther into the Atlantic, but the number of ships hunting her meant that neither intact fuel nor radio silence guaranteed survival.
NotesIntact fuel could have enabled a deeper Atlantic sortie, but that choice might expose Bismarck to additional hunting forces rather than guarantee safety. Maintaining radio silence would make tracking harder and could improve the chance of reaching port. Any escape remains uncertain because more ships were searching than either Bismarck or even parts of the British command fully appreciated.