HMS ''Hood''

By Crusader1307

Built over a two-year period (1916-1918), and launched in 1920, The British Royal Navy "Admiral"-Class Battle cruiser "Hood" was one of 4 built Warships. She displaced 47,000-tons, and was 800-feet long. "Hood" stood 105-feet tall (Beam), and was powered by 4-shaft driven propellers fed by 24-boilers. She could achieve 35-mph and had a range of over 5,000 miles. "Hood" could crew over 1,400 men. She was formidable. She was armed with  (4) 15-inch Main Guns, (12) 5.5-inch Secondary Guns and (4) Anti-Aircraft Guns. "Hood" also carried  (4) 21-inch Torpedo tubes. Her armor was rated from 6 to 11-inches throughout. HMS "Hood" did not see Service during World War I, however - due to fears of The Spanish Civil War becoming a larger issue, she was deployed to The Mediterranean Fleet in the mud-1930s. At the start of World War II with Germany, "Hood" was redeployed to The North Atlantic Fleet, for the mission of Blockading German shipping efforts. In May of 1940, The German Battleship "Bismarck", and it's support Ship the Heavy Cruiser "Prince Eugen", broke The Blockade. "Hood" and the Battleship HMS "Prince of Wales", were sent to engage them. Outside of The Denmark Straits, "Hood" fired several rounds into The German Ships. "Bismarck" fired a salvo of all of her massive 19-inch Guns into "Hood" from 18,000-yards. In the firing spread, "Hood" was hit by 4 shells, raking her from Bow to Stern. Shots 2 and 3 managed to penetrate her Amidships (scoring a direct hit in her Powder Magazine). In an explosion rivaling that of the ill-fated USS "Arizona" and "Maine", "Hood" was raised several feet from the water. Completely broken in half, "Hood" sunk within 3-minutes. Of the 1,418 crewmen aboard, on 3 survived. Although, Hitler used the event as a major propaganda tool, in reality - it was a lack of reinforcing "Hood"'s pre-WWII armor plating that was the ultimate cause.