Constructed in 1915 as a counterweight to the
German battle cruisers of the Mackensen – type, the British cruisers did not
prove too successful in the Battle at Skagerrak (three of them were sunk!).
Therefore, decisive alterations of the original construction were made,
especially with regard to better armour.
The first ship of this improved version, the
Hood, was launched in 1918 and went into service in 1920, forming part of the
Home Fleet until 1941. In 1935 she collided with the Renown and was
repaired in Portsmouth. Afterwards she was stationed with the Mediterranean
Fleet until the beginning of World War II when she was ordered off to the Home
Fleet again. In 1939 she was slightly damaged when engaged in
chasing the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau in the North Sea. In the following year she escorted the convoys
of Australian and New Zealand troops. When the Hood had executed this task, she was
dispatched to the Force H at Gibraltar where she took part in subduing the
French Fleet at Mers el Kebir. In Mai 1941 the Hood sank south from Greenland
due to an explosion in her ammunition depot during combat with the Bismarck.
Technical
data: Year 1931 – 1933. Size. Length: m. 262,2; Width: 31.7; Drought: m. 8.7;
Loader weight: 48.360 tonn.; Propulsion: N. 4 Brown – Curtis turbines on N. 4
propellers, 24 Yarrow boilers; Capacity: 151,280 wHP; Speed: 31.9 Ks; Armament:
N. 8 guns mm. 381, cal. 42; N. 12 guns mm. 140, cal. 50; N. 4 guns (anti –
aircraft) mm. 102; N. 4 guns lbs. 3; N. 16 guns (anti – aircraft) mm. 40; N. 6
torpedo tubes mm. 533 (two submerged and four surfage); Crew: N. 1.447 Men.