Anatomy of the Ship: The Battlecruiser Hood

133 Pages·2010·29.28 MB·English

by  John Roberts

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The Battlecruiser

ANATOMY QF THE SHIP

The Battlecruiser

HOOD

JOHN ROBERTS
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CONTENTS

INERODLETION The DRAWINGS, ‘a

Desig F Genet An

Censruet gn He Cesstrenee

Service Hiteay % Machi er

hs bss St " Saco ata

Genera c.angcmear: sce hall sents. IN 8 sonst o

Mack wre. Rig 8

Aominent Hy asus 1,

Coun. spate Is ove 1

Grounel tack Sh Tings. Hes

Anciat BD Gad tackle i

Moslificatve 6 BN Sap boics hate
Sana angen De

he PHOTOGRAPHS, 2B
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks are due fo Mr K Brows, AGNG, Mr Campoell and
Mr Lyon for their hele wit informaton, arte Mr R.A Burtfor
invaluable assistance with protographs
INTRODUCTION

toveen the ca World Wars the Royal Navy oneruted gaa &
uckgrouad of Giuncial estectivas, « say campaign for nova
benrmrment wl 4 ides ela belief tat the batleskip had bee
ae ubsulee by seat al sulsuarives, This led te Atharelty
furl public suspore by avomoting is bce ia the ballleee, 21d
exopkassing dhe qual-s of is ships. men aod egaipuret. OF ese
ships Head. avote than any wthes, leu herself ww a pute celecions
svatcise, Ager fawn the cucless lists of amgziug fete Wick SOM
Blais he pradagu far a hatte nn she was (a6 “argent, Fastea anc
‘oar oF the sane gudeome capital sigs ia Ahe woeld. Bauly in het
‘areas ang Pa newest ed ast prestigiuns sy ef he Mkt, se wa
‘smplaed an sevecal inesnatonal asiqaman's 452 represcarative of
fac Heoush Erspire, culminating ‘showing the fag” na ean seal
insane world ernjsp ef 1973-24, and rar moss ef ee lifesae eniesed 136
slacausves status of Tpsbip of 32 harelesnisee force. Thus she
Trosamis mie af ius maksr yinhole of rhe Raval Neve, © pasion se
2928 9 dou ase nocnpicd withont AGMA help, a 936 96
iv high teaard hy both “he Resch public and the mex of she Peet 10
vehors she was effctianatcly kaso a2 "the migere ‘eed. Tectle
‘wonder shar the nows of her destructinn :3 ater wat the German
fin Say 1947 was received with skocked disbeliet
imparutvefaw wa knew the decile of fea design
cers of she Admiay und the Director of Naval Ga.
Meseian's DMC? depertmens. iFoods lss, aches no less oft
shock, sas ssi 10 understand. She Fad Ree undortunete in bes
esiytied cussing he Fest Warld War aca ire when the lens
wars pritipally ose lara at Me Baule uf Jub! 1916, had wat
beet fully evelusted. Many chamges ware appli the desige. acl
eunisuador of Lie skip progressed but it mas aut vat? 1838-9, ven
Hood spas cote ing, Ca the spore anportion eeuclusious
reyaring the lessons uf ae wr were reacae’, Priucipal wang these
128 the beef Cetuxe capital ships to kave Loe:zcutal proection of
aenour plite. stent of We lagle-up layers of protective plating
prevualy exxployed, am alzeratint webick would not be applied to
Hoa widow: enormous expense wu leay, vecause uf Lae ave
fe of ber enmotruction.
Beloce dhe ship corpse it was kaviey slat Sey suorstion wat
ioc Sys cedera standards and at sever ces in Coe Following
Tecaty years pcoposals wise annde fay medesnisetions suc ote 0

include igroted protection, However, other, older, shige were in
gisater ed acd, wit tame liited Foe wie placed well owe Ue
Tin fas impeovencnt. She was evetaly bos fra Fl recwusteue
rion, 10 hegin {3 T92, ter che ontheeak af war onsned chat it was
never rovakerplace and e she served het entice 2] years withooe Mor
improverzen= despite bet Kuga defects, ceteris whit, walike Let
anvibuces, were ant matte publi. Lt must hestid howewer, that 90d"
Tues ware 30: the resll of poor desiga bet nf usther=nateeireurss-
tance, ick nf money and the insbaiy 0 take advancage of prove.
ntsnrsusthougbt of whan she was der/gmcd. fafa: the very inclasien,
Af iesprovements afr eampleton of the orignal design ersated set
seal prabloms principally a sunstantal losin trerboard. By rhe
standards of 191527 she sae an advanced ship and, a8 the prarwar
designs which would have made hee ohsalste vere never but. she
cond shou cousiterable advantages over she wisority of exstiag
feapital ships fie enaae years ater hex enmgietion

DESIGN
In 1814-16 the cporarions of she Grand F.cct under snr conditions
reveuled w nbniber of defects in the quality ofits carota ships. Ware
lost among these wes wetness caused by lnw frechoued, 2 siruation
reonde worse tke newes vese's By Ue cutcing back of the ships sides
above Lie epper deck Uo form anbrscurss for the secuulary aie
teat. The ster weap lio proved dificult o opecste in hea oF
fen movesate, weather cue diet lute peon dusty to de waced,
fdas Cae etnport2 could not be once cotupletely azu-EQN, ther
‘ootively seduved the cigs zeserve of bukyaucy. Shipe see also
boing Lo seu more hese lde eae wus nora in peace, bide
not saly exicerbated all le ebove mentionet probleus but added
Substantially to the ships” draughts. TEs last way also ceginded a
Seriuas because, ip dhe erect of durnage 19 # ship's ull al hel
vwatey the frce of water extering the ship, wad ence dhe rapidity of
Aoding, womld be uiat unich greater.

Frou repurs uf Gese oonelitions i as deve thas what was
required wos a ship will a Sigh, upinteerupied frelioard. 9 shallow
‘bmg aed a Seeuaslagy acmnnent auseted ellIhawe tae waealing
To vale adbectage of Uieve conchusions, tke Adr-atty agked aad
obtained Cablue: and ‘Tseesary sanction for the consteostion of a2
experimental bart eship, and 39 Qotober 1375 the Dieectar nf Naval

r
Cumtrustion (DNC, Sie Eustace Temuysoued'Bencoust, wis asked
lo investgite Une design ufa butleship bised or the Queen Ecrberh
lo 221 itelusing the late idees in underwater prosecLou und th
ie deaught cedaced abuun SU per cent

Tiogever, the reluctior in draugit requiced 4 vurrespoudiag
inceewse iv engl and sum which involved problemas wilt but
sceceth ere docking umd it soum 3ecume elsar “hat che SU poe
asted fr was impractical. In the desgus subsequently producrd the
host thar cquld be ackicved was 20 per cent

TBerweas, Navember 1915 and February 91 Five etleship
designs were saamitted 29 the Haorece'l ale 3. Dasign ‘A’ hal the
ame armament ans machiner¥ as Queas Bliewbeth, bu owing che
Skerad ball form was slightly faster and had reused p:stection
{prerumably due to che grates area ro ve aemouree. Design War &
‘rodifiedvessiom of “A'o which 16 sae the decking pacers hs Roam
‘was reece a that of ues Blank be raciciag 1 en7. PaWEr
and axcenlzy 4 slightly deeper draughe. Rawever, exper-moents ia
Decemne 1915 revedled that the greater heam wis necessary Uo
privie adesuat® underseate:prateccioa and indesign CI kength ors
redhiced instead of bese by a fugther eeduetion 3 speed wy dhe
Standied 22k of the axtdefleet, “C2 wus a suriaten ot this design
weith Use best bulge ant draught posible on the name lent av Quave
Eiizaberh. Finally “D? sues moditied ‘A? wich Iengilt reduced by
accepting u lovee speed,

These designs were sent for comune: 9 Adrairal Sir Julus Jel
diove, Crin-Cuf the Grand Fleet, whi ststed ates anaparat
slzumg in bauleship, and that shere wets a much grester ase (oe
bauleuruiters capase of countering the ISin gucsec. 30K ships
believed Io he under conscrecrim by Lae Germans, Onosec cently,
design effint was shied to veiveh of 20kte, ur greater speed. wil
reduced amour. bo uiherweise simvar to Ue enlive baie
sesigns, ‘Ths encaibed si the incresces in dimseosions in reese
aceomanlate ie maokinery but it all Dl one oc Le ie designs see
Table 2 yaeaduced in Kebuare 1916 the DNC gre able tu se Space
aud eight by specifying smull-tabe boilers. This was au iass2ci
head ony sorated bot which iad previeuely eve wsisted neeause
ff the greater maintenance regulted (more frequent caning ste, and
henee mote thee out af sorvice} comparo# with The sierra lage
tbe halos.” Thi effect cay be seen by compesing designs | ans 2
[able 1) Tate giving 9 3300 ton saving ie weight da a smal
Increase In spcod. tn desig 4 Ube saving wae ili ty anotide 3 30
per cont increase in power, a gite a {nether 2Rrs speed, an exe then,
Sra 2500 tons lighter thaw desta 1, andi wes tis doen, tase
sheinerease length, which the Bgarel dee:ded an for wa-Kiay, ou m
etal

a

In the derile? design :1 wes found possible co achieve the
sexe spiced wih ely 144s bur, afar fom a tedugrian in
tie 36" artmene, rhe espn felled! close ¥ the etiginal oucline pat
tics ar. Teo versions wore suhmicted tothe Bowler 2Y March 1516,
fang wth «secondary armazzcnr of pwe'¥e 5.5, julysand another wth
Stxtegn {Sim gans Sur qtbersise Similac. ‘The later voesian 935
nnreodaa? Apsil sor abe} andor ths sant day Tass ship mere
dered a tis design ~ the FZaod, fromm Johe. Deon, te Este feo
Gamracll (aird and the Redes from Pairs. A Tnorth shin, Anson,
‘ya orcerce: tram Armetranes in [aly 1916.

‘The Hams wes Ig alaws an 41 Mase 1916 ur os alerast
imnnelineky spenced pending :nvestigaronsinia the kesans 0 the
[Bate uf Jutland, which nate place in tac Nort: Seam the samme day
‘Asa resus of these dslinoraines the derign vas mde 2p include
Improved procoeron wise, eth o-her additions, ‘zexcased the dis-
Theemest'by 120 rang (536 Tabled}. Revwever,srile these changes
Twere tring made che DNC put tarward more excensive propecals
hil wourdetlecsive'y converte desig irom one Jura batecruiser
into ne for & Zuse ballleship. These pruposaly iuvulve ut awerage
increase of SU pee cent in the principal chickness of aetawur (bu ut
dev plang! ard 400 tans in displecement, bu: resuled ina loss cl
Speed nfonl kt. Thestraught of anarse, was aso increased but would
sill be 26 less than in Queen Dlizcheth The basie partieace of this
design cingather with offers rxjuested by che Fest Sea Lore acl Uke
Contra’ ef mco-porating ipl 15.n moaning) were susoitted ta the
Board: Jaly 1916 ‘see Table 3). Design ‘8’, the DNC’: origina
submis, was spproved by the Board in August aad Hoo we Hid
dows, to this now design, forthe second Lime on 1 Septexnber 19:6,
However design continued ‘0 be the subject uf aterazeas fo: some
lie a the evalustos, of tie lessons of Juckand ws coutimned, both by
lg Admiralty aaa hy vaious comoiaces wien he Grane Weer. T95
prkscipal movificiious made weve aga dsected wards foetnor
oprving protection, pactionlaly on the decks, for wh te main
iepeins cine For Cae Grinal Flee! Couseatensy chs final design
‘eel fe Hood was wl approved vol 30 Ag

To uhig nal deciga displacement had -ncrcased to 4:,200 tons,
last S01 tons above The origina igre. Consequently, tee orginal
saairements for sallow draught arc high freshouce were almost
‘completely ose. Movwovar,rhis weigh: was noe szaply Youd onto the
Svigival deans the Holl iecagt: was inoreared ad the verutant 3f
logs frechnard enmpensare for by adding ft 10 the hull dept: und

co te shear, athe lagi frechaard nthe legend sandr ws
fc aneadchips aclgns aft. Besides the improveretts in
protection, he sdeition ef fone dynsmos xalese aon ofeigh’) and
fight above water sorgoiio mace eae apraved during 191617, and
shomp alter aprroval of rhe final legend, farther $5 ns was added
tallow for additians re the aushaass azmou:, 80 tons lor deedger
heist or the §.5:n guns and 48 ron fr lagging the crm and walls
‘af fae Lin magavines. These latter sights were takes frum tbe Bourd
margin which w4s corsequenily educed W 20 tots,
CONSTRUCTION
Hood's pevsocting coutinaed ta be 2 sonece uf bate snd concern
thronghou Fe: perod ot cunstctis. aux! as a result still Lather
sktions were iede coher decks. Ln Angust 1918 it was appruved te

sfouble the thiczacss of mapazine crows e Zin by Beng akon
in puotestive plies; weight cornpersntiua being provided by amit

zara re lin and ip plinzerpnocec ton ts the Bune spines aiove the
fovecastledeck, In Muy 19192 was approved increase the bickness
ofthe fhisubove theslupes af se matindeck to Sain te rainy of the
Inegaziues; compensatina for tke additional 100 tom being provided
Dy enultng de four allermost5-Sin guns two unshelier deck, "10.
torecastle dec) together with be deedger bois

‘Fina!y in July 1919 approval was given 0 inceease the cists
ofthe unin deck over che magaziags ro fin at and Sta foravard be" his
woe was over cacied ont. Homaver, enmpensat’on a josie for
the addlivioaal 440 rons by emitting the four forward, above-water
rahe ane reducing the shickness af the wal's nf the after snrpede
sonaieg ower fig hin to Un. Despite al these offors ta save weiget
te inclining of Hood, a Rowton 21 Fekruare 1920, shred her to
hrave x toad displacement of 42,670 tums, L470 tone ubove her eget
Aisplacemene of 1917. This increased the mean drausb and ceuiaved
Fae frechoard amnisehips hy rb asthe trimby the stern wa greater
than that spgrtied fn the legend the feehsucd forward zemained
2Oft while the stoma wes Tit ftom the watering, Mt lewer thin
lenge. At deap displacement she trimmoad moze Eorward lowering
the feeenaard to 25ft in at the stom and Ws 154 ait. Oddly enough
these fignres are sls o chase of cartier B-itish ships but nevertheless
this lows freeboard enused much greater problems of welness, peri
lacy aft sshero her quarterdack seas nften awash ~ this deck at the
Seaicof the forceasle sing about 6 wer lan Ibe extreme tera. UE
seces kly that this may have been dueto hee ereat oats, comsined
Deriepa with her steadiness, causing her to ul thcough waves rater
than cide over them ws her shorter cnlemporues migal Rave dave
Also, when running at speed, her stexn tended 2 Ug, ike that uf
Gesuroser, thus increasing the chances of tw on green water all
‘This siuation war to worsen for, whie many older sbip~ zuined in
lreebuard when they ere bulged, anc were tins shle to enpe with
ssbsraucial adit) wejgus in later rebls, the Head stewdily
increased in displacerner und reduced in Feeboard as hee cureet
pragresse.

‘Phe eed ram her steam uals in Mavel 1920 (see Table 3) 22 out
ner measuce sale fl puter trial wceved 32.07 wil 1S1_2805bp,
Siper cont aheve her denen maxiaaua poner, However, vane of
her ooue “ull puwe: ties she male just over her designed! speed it,
iuse over ber desgued nusxinnun power. These and ler ganmery vad
revpedo tia proved highly salsvtory on uter linet Gdag out
and inepection at Rosvib Dockszel se was avbepted dyin RN service
fm 15 Say 1920, Hood entered service as 2 baldecrulser nt a Cit
butiestin, nerhaps refering the zealisstou that hee peeieetion was

nnn suffiiene no justify his cassificaninn. However, che Admiralty do
sppear to Eave uluptel a policy of defining the dilerence between the
types by apes since he “G2 hatecruisers, designed im 1921 but
‘ever bull, were far better protected than soy existing battleship (he
Sonsempurary 'N3" butleship design wae better protected bul us
“rmunred sgtinst I8in rather ther Gin shell) and shen the euely
sles fur the King George ¥ class vere unules consideration in the
1930s the Caster versions ers Sniiulyclusifed ay battlecruiser.
‘Very ile wrk was dime on {Znd's three sslershelore, under
lhe pressure nf wack i the shinyurds, they seere suspended un 9
Mace [917, Being ‘eve Lar deuce them Heed various additonal
rmudificoiums were propesel for these ships cncudiug ursuured
Alecks, [owever, with she end of the mur and the consequent reduc-
sien in naval expenditors, plus the resfvatiom that cuore advanced
uesyas were powible, they were cxacellad in October J51%,

SERVICE HISTORY

4 September 1916: Lid down

22 August 1918; Luanched

January 1920: Transferred to Rosyth for completion and tals

14 May 1920: Inspected a1 Rose:

45 May 1920; Accepted from builders aul comeissioned

15 May 1920 November 1923: Flagship, Butloruiser Syaaon,

Atiztie Fleet

27 November 1923-29 September 1924; Faust of Special Serio

Sqnadvon (Repulse and First Light Creisee Sqnadton foc world eruise
tiaecled 40.000 -lles and 0s visited Ly over 700,000 people

January 1925 — Jennary 1928: Faogship of Ratlecruiser Squadron,
Adiaais Hut

Triuaey 1928 — May 1929: Baulecraser Squadien, Adautie Moor

AT May 1929 — 12 May 193; Mojo cell st Portsmouth

12 May 1931 September 1936: Flupstip uf Batlecruser Squadron,

Hoxie Fleet,

& September 1936 — January 1939: Meuiterranenn Fleet agship of

Vice drat Sir G Blake)

February ~ August 1939: ReGit at Portsanoutt

1 Anyust 1939 March 840: Mapp of Budecuiser Sqn,

Home Feet

‘March ~ May 1940: Refit at Devoupore

June ~ August 1940: Flagship. once “H’, based at Gitattar

gas J840~ May 191: Fapsip a Bedeerair Stadt, Home
eet

24 May U1: Sank

setion with Bramoreh

‘THE LOSS OF HOOD
On 23 May 1911 the Hood, fying the Mag of Adeieal Holland, and
Prince of Wales weve patrlling woud west of Tcend whet, xt 1938, 4
‘ipa wae intercepted foc Lae erunter Suffalh reporting te Gera

9