Table of Contents
How did the Bismarck sink the Hood so quickly?
When the German battleships Bismarck and Prinz Eugen broke out into the North Atlantic in May 1941, the Hood and battleship Prince of Wales were sent to hunt them down. The photos revealed that a detonation in the rear magazine, holding the 15-inch shells and cordite propellant for those guns, sank the Hood.
Why did British battlecruisers explode at Jutland?
The shell propellant in the turret was ignited, creating an explosion and starting a fire. This fire soon began to spread toward the magazines, which might have resulted in a detonation and the complete loss of the ship.
Why did Battlecruisers fail?
Battleships were heavily gunned and heavily armored, but too slow to hunt down smaller, faster warships such as cruisers. On the other hands, cruisers lacked the firepower and protection of the battlewagons.
What caused the loss of HMS Hood?
HMS Hood was struck by several German shells near its ammunition magazines which subsequently exploded, causing the ship to sink. It sparked a huge Royal Navy pursuit of the Bismarck, which was destroyed three days later. More than 2,000 German sailors lost their lives.
How quickly did HMS Hood sink?
On 24 May 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Hood was struck by several German shells, exploded, and sank within 3 minutes, with the loss of all but three of her crew of 1,418.
When did the HMS Hood sink?
May 24, 1941
On May 24, 1941, Germany’s largest battleship, the Bismarck, sinks the pride of the British fleet, HMS Hood.
Why was the Battle of Jutland significance?
The Battle of Jutland was significant both for being the largest naval battle of the First World War, and for the severe number of lives lost. It saw the British Navy losing more men and ships but remained a powerful tool while it left the German Navy too diminished to put to sea again while the war lasted.
What were battlecruisers used for?
Battlecruisers. Battlecruisers were a novel design concept. Their design favoured high speed and heavy armament, at the cost of sacrificing armour protection. They could chase down and destroy slower and weaker ships, and their speed allowed them to stay out of range of a battleship’s heavy guns.
How did they sink the Bismarck?
Unable to manoeuvre, the Bismarck stood little chance and was finally sunk by two torpedoes fired by HMS Dorsetshire, having withstood two hours of bombardment. Admiral Lutjens went down with the ship, along with 2,089 others.
What happened to the battlecruisers of Jutland?
The consequences became evident at Jutland when three of seven British battlecruisers blew up, the victims of direct hits from German battlecruisers. Another notorious example is HMS Hood, which also exploded after a fifteen-inch shell from the German battleship Bismarck apparently plunged through the thin deck armor and detonated the magazine.
What happened to the battlecruiser concept?
The battlecruiser concept seemed flawed from the start. Like many hybrids, they suffered from an identity crisis. Should they be used like battleships in big fleet actions, or more like cruisers, to detect and harass the enemy, and then step out the way while the big boys slugged it out?
Why was the Bismarck brought to battle?
In the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the Royal Navy was so determined to bring the Bismarck to battle before it could reach the Atlantic convoy routes, that an old World War I battlecruiser, HMS Hood, charged straight at a cutting-edge 1940s battleship.
How fast can a battlecruiser go?
(Free Gift For All Who Answer) Compare the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class battleships and the Renown-class battlecruisers, which fought in both World Wars I and II; they were both armed with fifteen-inch guns, but the battleships had a top speed of twenty-four knots, while the battlecruisers could zip along at thirty-one knots.