HMS Hood

Type: Battleship
Period: 20th Century
Nation: Great Britain

Overview: HMS Hood was the lead ship of the Royal Navy's four planned Admiral-class battlecruisers, though she was the only one completed. Nicknamed "The Mighty Hood," she was the largest and most powerful warship in the world for two decades between the world wars and became a national symbol of British naval power. Specifications: Laid down in 1916 and launched in 1918, Hood measured roughly 806 feet in length and displaced over 47,000 tons. She was armed with eight 15-inch guns in four twin turrets and could reach speeds around 32 knots thanks to four sets of steam turbines producing about 150,000 shaft horsepower; her design incorporated extra armor added after lessons learned from the loss of British battlecruisers at Jutland, though this made her ride low and left some underlying protection compromises uncorrected. Service History: Commissioned in 1920, Hood served as flagship of the Battlecruiser Squadron and undertook extensive "showing the flag" cruises, including a world cruise with the Special Service Squadron in 1923–24 and a visit to Vancouver in 1924. She remained in active service through the interwar period and into the early Second World War, including participation in the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir, but never received the full modernization refit her design ultimately needed. Notable Facts: On 24 May 1941, Hood engaged the German battleship Bismarck and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen at the Battle of the Denmark Strait; a catastrophic magazine explosion caused her to sink within minutes, with all but three of her crew of over 1,400 lost. Her sudden destruction shocked Britain and triggered an intensive Royal Navy pursuit that ended in the sinking of the Bismarck days later; the wreck of Hood was located on the seabed in 2001.

Kits of this ship


HMS Hood (A04202/A04202V, Vintage Classics)	Airfix	1:600	Available
HMS Hood	Trumpeter	1:350	Available
HMS Hood 1941	Trumpeter	1:700	Available
HMS Hood 1931	Trumpeter	1:700	Available
HMS Hood Battle Cruiser ("The Mighty Hood")	Trumpeter	1:200	Available
HMS Hood 1941 with Detail Up Set [Top Grade Model]	I Love Kit	1:700	Available
HMS Hood & E Class Destroyer "Battle of Denmark Strait" (Waterline Series No. 806/31806)	Tamiya	1:700	Available

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Wikipedia: HMS HoodWebsite
Comprehensive overview of design, construction, service history and loss of the ship, useful background for a modeler.
Wikimedia Commons: HMS Hood (51) - March 17, 1924 photographMuseum
Featured historical photograph of Hood underway in 1924, useful as a reference image for hull, rigging and superstructure details.
The National Interest: HMS Hood, The Battlecruiser That Changed Naval History ForeverArticle
Summary article covering design specifications, armament and the ship's dramatic loss to the Bismarck.
H.M.S. Hood Association - Plans and Drawings of H.M.S. HoodWebsite
The official Hood Association's page critically reviews available plan sets (Norman Ough's 1960s drawings, Kagero/Top Drawings, Profile Morskie, Monografie Morskie) noting scale, accuracy and errors of each — essential guidance before buying any plans.
H.M.S. Hood Association - Books Specifically About HMS HoodWebsite
Curated, expert-reviewed bibliography of every major Hood book with accuracy notes, useful for identifying the best reference texts before purchase.
The Battlecruiser Hood (Anatomy of the Ship)Book
John Roberts' definitive Anatomy of the Ship volume with a complete set of detailed line drawings and cross-sections covering the ship deck-by-deck, drawn from the official National Maritime Museum plans.
The Battlecruiser HMS Hood: An Illustrated Biography 1916-1941Book
Bruce Taylor's exhaustively researched biography, widely regarded as the most comprehensive study of Hood ever published, featuring rare photographs and Thomas Schmid's detailed CGI reconstructions of exterior and interior spaces prized by modelers.
HMS Hood Association Official YouTube ChannelVideo
Official channel of the HMS Hood Association with documentary and archival footage material useful for visualizing the ship's appearance and details.
Royal Museums Greenwich Ship Plans Collection (HMS Hood)Plans
Original 1:96 scale Admiralty bridge deck plan of HMS Hood held by the National Maritime Museum, available as a high-resolution reproduction print showing bridge and control platform arrangement.
HMS Hood (1918) Onboard Profile Plan, National Maritime MuseumPlans
1:96 scale official onboard profile drawing showing conning tower, bridge, gun turrets, lifeboats and funnels, part of the NMM's original Hood plan collection.
Royal Museums Greenwich Ship Plans CollectionMuseum
Gateway to the world's largest collection of original ship plans, including Hood's official Admiralty draughts and 'cover' documentation, searchable and orderable for research.
H.M.S. Hood Association - Hood Today: Scale Models and Miniatures GalleryWebsite
Gallery of reader-submitted Hood model builds (1/350, 1/400, etc.) with build notes on references used, photo-etch sets, and detailing techniques from experienced modelers.