For seven and a half nerve wracking hours the Bismarck continued to elude the British reconnaissance, then Admiral Lutjens made a terrible error. Believing he was still being shadowed by the British cruisers, he made a half hour radio transmission to Hitler. The German admiral told Hitler of the destruction of the Hood, and remarked on the power of the British Radar, but in doing so gave his position away. Coastal command's radio stations picked up the transmission, and had plenty of time to get a fix on the Bismarck's position. A catalina flying boat was dispatched to get visual confirmation, and sure enough when it arrived at the co-ordinates was greeted by a firestorm of flak.