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  Jean Bart French super-dreadnought fast battleship
| Quick reference |
| Construction |
| Ordered: |
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| Laid down: |
December 1936 |
| Launched: |
6 March 1940 |
| Commissioned: |
June 1940 (incomplete) |
| Constructor: |
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| Richelieu class |
| Ships: |
Richelieu, Jean Bart. |
| Fate |
| Scrapped, 1970. |
Jean Bart was the second ship of the Richelieu class. As the Wehrmacht overran France in June 1940 Jean Bart sailed to Casablanca (still far from complete) to escape falling into German hands. Only one of the two main turrets had been fitted, with the other being loaded onto a transport ship, which was sunk by a U-boat.
Jean Bart remained at Casablanca throughout the Second World War. On 8 November 1942 she was attacked and damaged by American aircraft and battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts. On the 10th Jean Bart opened fire on the American heavy cruiser U.S.S. Augusta and was again bombed by planes from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger. Following the success of Operation Torch Jean Bart changed sides and joined the allies, but did not leave Casablanca until returning to France in 1945.
After World War Two Jean Bart's design was modified and she was completed in 1949. Jean Bart was part of the Anglo-French force during the "Suez Crisis". She was placed in reserve in 1957, decommissioned in 1961 and finally scrapped in 1970.
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