Table of Contents
Was HMS Hood obsolete?
The spectacular end of HMS Hood demonstrated what many in the Royal Navy already knew: though still mighty and powerful, Hood was obsolete in terms of her armor protection, and ill-equipped to deal with long-range high caliber plunging fire. She was better-suited to the close-range engagements of the First World War.
How many guns did HMS Hood have?
The ship’s original anti-aircraft armament consisted of four QF 4-inch Mk V guns on single mounts. These were joined in early 1939 by four twin mounts for the QF 4-inch Mark XVI dual-purpose gun. The single guns were removed in mid-1939 and a further three twin Mark XIX mounts were added in early 1940.
What size guns did the hood have?
15-inch
The Hood carried eight 42-calibre BL 15-inch Mk I guns. They were mounted in hydraulically powered twin gun turrets and each could depress and elevate, respectively, from −5° to +30°. Each barrel fired a 1,920-pound (870 kg) shell at 30,180 yards (27,600 m) in max elevation. 120 shells were carried for every gun.
How much bigger was the Bismarck than the hood?
Hood and Bismarck were evenly matched. Both had a TGC of 120 and a nearly identical TWB of 7.238 tons and 6.857 tons, respectively. In fact, Hood’s shells weighed 1,900 pounds while her opponent fired 1,800-pound projectiles. Even with heavier shells, Hood’s 29,000-meter range was 6,000 meters shorter than Bismarck’s.
Was HMS Hood technically obsolete in WW2?
No, HMS Hood was not technically obsolete- at least not more than any other battleship or battle cruiser in WWII. Although every battleship or battle cruiser would ultimately be rendered obsolete by the advances of carrier borne and land based air during the Second World War, in 1939 none of that had been proven.
When was the first HMS Hood built?
The original design for Hoodwas approved on 7 April, 1916 and the ship laid down on 31 May. On that very day, in what was to become the penultimate naval engagement of the First World War, three British battlecruisers, the Indefatigable, Queen Maryand Invincibleblew up under German fire at the Battle of Jutland.
HMS Hood by Edward Tufnell, RN (Retired). Introduction “Sketch by Captain J.C. Leach, M.V.O., Royal Navy, showing the appearance and position of the explosion which destroyed the ship as seen from H.M.S. Prince of Wales at a distance of 4 Cables”ADM 116/4351, pp. 40. HMS Hood. Date of Photograph unknown.
What caused the sinking of the HMS Hood?
HMS Hood. Despite the official explanation, some historians continued to believe that the torpedoes caused the ship’s loss, while others proposed an accidental explosion inside one of the ship’s gun turrets that reached down into the magazine. Other historians have concentrated on the cause of the magazine explosion.