Scharnhorst launched in October 1936, and Tirpitz was laid down at the same yard about a month later. That quick turnover cleared the slipway, but Scharnhorst subsequently took longer to complete than Gneisenau. Gneisenau had begun earlier and remained on the slip until December 1936, giving her several additional months before launch. One proposed explanation is that rushing Scharnhorst's launch contributed to her longer completion period. Premature launching could impose a greater penalty on a larger and more complicated H-class ship.
Notable Point · 1:10:09-1:11:36
An earlier launch could delay completion
Scharnhorst and Gneisenau illustrate why clearing a slipway early could increase the work remaining after launch.