HMS Hood - Origins of a Legend

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@bkjeong4302]

If Hood had been built a decade earlier, how much of an impact would she have had on WWI?

[@Aelxi]

What would the most efficient gun and turret layout for a capital ship? 9 triples in 2fore, 1aft and 4 twins 2fore 2aft? And also when will be the next battle video, complete with voice acting and stuff?

[@atypicalprogrammer5777]

How were the German parachute-dropped mines (The Luftmine A and B) intended to be used? wouldn't a mine free to drift with the wind when dropped (and possibly with the currents afterwards sounds) be just as much a threat to their own ships and U-boats as the intended target?

[@silverhost9782]

​@@AelxiThe most efficient would have been to use quad turrets with all placed forward of the superstructure. Like Richelieu. If an extra turret was needed you could place all 3 forward like Nelson for a 12 gun broadside.

[@unryumaru2095]

While both utterly outclassed by the 5"/38, which Axis heavy AA gun was better at deterring/destroying enemy aircraft, the Japanese 127mm Type 89 or the German 105mm SK C/33?

[@knightofavalon86]

The British Navy: Our ships need more freeboard! *Builds Hood, with the freeboard of a kayak*

[@Renaissance_Kamikaze]

"Worlds biggest Submarine" -Unknown RN Sailor

[@bluemarlin8138]

True, but that was only after they stopped construction and modified the design to incorporate the perceived lessons of Jutland. These additions were more than the hull was designed to handle, and they would have had to start over with a fresh design if they wanted the original freeboard.

[@Renaissance_Kamikaze]

@bluemarlin8138 they suffered from the same problems as the Imperial Russian/Soviet Battleships too many changes over a long relative time, having read the Admiralty reports into lessons learnt from Jutland and their impacts on ship design, I can see how it happened you had one group saying more speed was needed, one saying better guns and gunnery another saying it was just a lack desire to seek battle and get the Trafalgar type decisive battle. Writing a disso on this kind've stuff is brain melting

[@madkoala2130]

@@Renaissance_Kamikaze Mighty Jingles?

[@Renaissance_Kamikaze]

@madkoala2130 kinda I heard it from him then a few years later actually read in some Admiralty report at the NA please don't ask me to give you the full NA code

[@lukedogwalker]

The more I learn about Jellicoe, the more impressed I am. Had it not been for Beatty's political and high society shenanigans I believe we would speak of Fisher and Jellicoe in the same breath, and that we'd have seen capital ships named for him, possibly even an SSBN in the Cold War era. Jellicoe was ace and absolutely knew what he was doing.

[@mahbriggs]

Jellico wasn't perfect! He was responsible for the terrible positioning of the control top in the smoke plume on the Dreadnought. ( and a couple of other ships as well) He was also responsible for the open sighting hoods on the top of turrets which prevented the use of superfiring turrets! I think he was a better fleet commander than ship designer.

[@JevansUK]

@mahbriggs to be fair British had been building ships that they later scrapped without seeing combat, it's easy to see how complaints about boat handling get a higher priority

[@lukedogwalker]

@@mahbriggs didn't say he was perfect. Didn't say he was a designer. Said he knew his job which was fleet commander, as you admit. And a fleet commander should know what features he wants. The mast placement was a horrible compromise forced by many other factors, including time.

[@mahbriggs]

@JevansUK It resulted in the expensive rebuilding of a couple of ships, and that leaves out the idiocy of open sighting hoods on the top of the turrets! The problems with the control tops had been discovered in the Dreadnought and corrected in subsequent ships only to be reintroduced by Jellicoe. The U.S. Navy got it right from the beginning! In line, superfiring turrets capable of axial fire! It wasn't until the Hood was laid down that open sighting hoods on top of turrets were eliminated, enabling the superfiring turrets to axial fire! As I said, a better fleet commander than ship designer!

[@mahbriggs]

@lukedogwalker Allowing for the stupid position of the control tops in the smoke plume of the funnels, what of his insistence on open sighting hoods on the turret tops? As I point out, the Americans figured it put from the beginning that it was a terrible idea. I believe the Hood was the first British ship capable of axial firing of her super imposed turrets!

[@scottgiles7546]

Good to see Drach is finally covering such an unknown ship. 🙂

[@Aelxi]

I concur.

[@splicetape9435]

About time too.

[@Ekergaard]

Yes, we are all tired of hearing about Finnish coastal defense ships and ironclads from Peru. We want to know more about a more obscure naval power.

[@myparceltape1169]

It's the design path that got me. Lovely looking warship, when I saw a model I stopped listening to my surroundings.

[@jimtalbott9535]

I’m appreciating your mild sarcasm, but I still learned something.

[@natthaphonhongcharoen]

To be fair with the intel guys about the odd caliber guns. German nominally 11 inch guns were actually 283 mm which weren't rounded in neither metric nor imperial.

[@michaelpielorz9283]

explains a lot. 280 mm seems to be fair, 383mm is a kind kind of overkill!

[@berndberndsen5680]

And dear god does it annoy me.

[@TheSlaughtermatic]

Another thing to note is that the caliber of a gun can be stated as the diameter of the lands of the rifling the grooves of the rifling or the projectile diameter. None of these are the same number and all can be said to be the caliber of the gun. Even to this day whichever one is used is almost never stated and there is mostly no convention as to what should be used. This could be made easier.

[@P_RO_]

@@TheSlaughtermatic In small arms, the measurement is to the rifling grooves/ projectile diameter. In naming cartridges the rule isn't always followed, usually to avoid confusion with other ammo.

[@davidsmcwilliams]

"The crews are complaining about low freeboard on our battleships. What should we do?" "Obviously the solution is to build a battlecruiser with even less freeboard so they can feel lucky by comparison."

[@centurion2275]

Being in the military, this Is immaculate military leadership thinking.

[@kiriusview9251]

Most upperclass of british sensebility.

[@maze2490]

LMAO!!!

[@Digmen1]

As a dedictaed fan of Hood (my uncle was a stocker on her and went down with her in 1941). I was amazed by the amount of detail you were able to give on these proposed battleships and the Admirals. I am amazed at what the designers were able to do without CAD or a speadsheet. Calculating the weight and speed etc.

[@chrisvickers7928]

I live in Victoria , Canada. Just west of Victoria is the military harbour in Esquimalt which has a huge graving dock. When it was built in 1924 it was designed to be able to fit the Hood. It never did hold it but in 1942 it held the Queen Elizabeth when it was being converted to a troop ship. I found a reference to this in a book as being one of the best kept secrets of the war. I showed this to my dad who laughed and said the line ups of people driving out to see the QE clogged all the bridges leading to Esquimalt.

[@awuma]

How did QE get to Victoria from New York? Amazing, I never knew about this, having myself lived in Victoria for a while.

[@trevorn9381]

@@awuma Sailed around Cape Horn because it was too big for the Panama Canal.

[@Backwardlooking]

Fortunately for himself my father was at the furthest end of the queue for those being drafted onto the Hood. If I remember back some 60 plus years I think he said he was just a few places back from those poor chaps who made up her final wartime complement. 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@jakeh6988]

Fortunate for yourself as well 😂

[@theonlymadmac4771]

Sometimes it is very curious, to what bits of luck one owes his very existence. Congrats to existing🍾!

[@orwellboy1958]

Unfortunately my distant cousin was not so lucky a ships boy first class, just sixteen years old when he went down with the Hood.

[@cooper.......]

​​@@orwellboy1958my great grandfather petty officer Harry cecil alland died on the ship he was 32

[@Claymore5]

DK Brown would be proud of you Drach! A very thorough assessment of the trials and tribulations of developing the Hood.

[@mahbriggs]

I agree, although I am biased as I found D.K.Brown books before I found Drachinfel's channel. In fact it was Brown's books that led me to find Drach's channel as well as Dr. Clarke's.

[@Claymore5]

@@mahbriggs Likewise!!

[@maze2490]

Yes, I agree.

[@jamespocelinko104]

In Hood's defense, her demise at Denmark Strait wasn't just due to her design, Bismarck also had some luck on her side.

[@mpetersen6]

The Golden BB. Yah, Bismarck had a certain amount of luck on her side. But Bismarck also had very good fire control and shooting. She also had her share of bad luck. A torpedo hit in just the right spot is what prevented her from reaching port in France. Imagine Bismarck sitting in Brest or another French Atlantic port. Just how much would that have complicated running convoys to the UK.

[@Aelxi]

@@mpetersen6 don't think good FCS systems usually got knocked out by the ship's own guns though.....

[@mpetersen6]

@@Aelxi That was her radar. Not her optical range finders.

[@Aelxi]

@@mpetersen6 alright my bad sorry about that I think I'm gonna agree with you. iirc Bismarck's 5th salvo got Hood so it's fair to call her shooting good.

[@VersusARCH]

Bismarck had a plan. Bismarck always had a plan!

[@chaseman113]

Wonderful video on Hood. I lived near Mt Hood my whole life and worked on the Mt Hood Railroad along the Hood River (river) In the town of Hood River, within Hood River County of Oregon state. Admittedly hearing the word “hood” really gets my attention and has brought me great interest in HMS Hood. All that said, it’s sorta funny the US ship “Mount Hood” is named after a mountain that itself is named after a British Admiral. Thanks again Drach for the content

[@Doug.bewick]

As a fifth generation shipbuilder from Clydebank, I'd like to thank you for putting this together and highlighting the incredible work in Hood's design and construction.

[@GammaAKF]

This is the exact type of video I enjoy most on your channel. This and the 5 minute guides. The process of designing and commissioning a ship, and the military and political factors that informed it is infinitely interesting

[@leftcoaster67]

One of most beautiful ships ever made.

[@Bruce-1956]

To the men and boys of Hood who did not return. #wewillrememberthem

[@mitchm4992]

How many pairs of binoculars did Hood stock for her resident admirals to throw overboard?

[@ronaldfinkelstein6335]

😆

[@bigblue6917]

Wrong navy. That was the Russian navy who only passed through the North Sea on the way to its doom against the Japanese.

[@patchouliknowledge4455]

@@bigblue6917 Pretty sure OP knows about the 3rd pacific squadron

[@Aelxi]

That's interesting. I wonder what USS Washington have to say about that ;)

[@peanut1412]

Enough to ensure a encounter with the Kamchatka could be managed effectively

[@craigmorris4083]

Every superhero needs an origin story, and this is Hood's. Thanks Drach. :)

[@ianreid]

My Grandfather served on HMS HOOD in 1929 transferred when she went in for a refit and sunk by Bismarck, he new many that went down with her may their souls rest in peace

[@bhopkins8101]

Hi Drachinifel, I have a very large family connection to Hood, not that I have family who served upon Hood or were lost on Hood but my grandfather was a Foreman on her build, not an important foreman but a foreman none the less. I have several copies of her builders photographs taken off the original plates from the University Of Glasgow Industrial Archives. I have also had the honour of seeing her blueprints and taking a copy of which I no longer have due to moving home. Ventus Secundus

[@thehandoftheking3314]

"It turns out Military intelligence got it wrong" everyone who has been in the military: "wow, what a truly unexpected Turn Of Events"

[@JevansUK]

Renown and Repulse were probably much more useful than an extra pair of R class even if the resistance class would have been an improved design.

[@Cailus3542]

No question. When WW2 came along, lightly armoured 30 knot battlecruisers were much more useful than 20 knot heavily armoured battleships.

[@bkjeong4302]

@@Cailus3542 Not quite, because the real problem was that engagement ranges between fleets had become extended massively due to the presence of carriers on one (and, in the Pacific, both) side of the engagement, which big guns just couldn’t handle. And that was a problem with ANY ship armed with a capital ship’s main battery regardless of how fast it was. Before you say “AA carrier escort”, you don’t need capital ship-grade main guns for that.

[@Cailus3542]

@@bkjeong4302 You're assuming that the carriers are omniscient, always present, always have enough striking power to sink any enemy force and the engagement is happening in the day. Adjust any of those variables and a thirty year old 30+ knot battlecruiser is suddenly gold dust.

[@bkjeong4302]

@@Cailus3542 The fact carriers aren’t able to attack the enemy 24/7 does not automatically translate to carriers being vulnerable to surface ships outside of extremely specific circumstances.

[@AmosDohms]

The carrier might not be vulnerable to surface attack, yes, but in any circumstance where all the ducks aren't in a row, the carrier will be of little use in doing anything. The battle cruiser, on the other hand, will be capable of many things.

[@speed150mph]

In todays world of overhanded back office politics making decisions without consulting those who would be affected, I love how Jellicoe was consulted and immediately threw out 90% of the design they’d just spent over a year working on because half of what they were trying to implement did not meet the needs of the navy at that point. Then proceeds to on the spot lay out design parameters for what would become the greatest battlecruiser design, and what would be in a lot of ways the grandfather of the fast battleship.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

The Zumwalt, Ford, and LCS programs all needed a Jellicoe....😂

[@bkjeong4302]

More like the first proper fast battleship and the only one that wasn’t obsolete upon launch courtesy of aviation. Unless you count the QEs of course.

[@chrismaverick9828]

With all the revisions and changes over time, I'm amazed she put to sea at all, or could even float with all that paperwork that went into it.

[@ebnertra0004]

They had to keep the paperwork on shore. She'd be swamped for sure if they'd kept it aboard

[@TheDogGeneral]

To be fair by the time the hood was sailing to do battle with the Bismarck she was in dire need of overhaul and repair it's amazing she didn't just sink on the way they're given how neglected ship them by the Royal Navy

[@macscott5290]

My Grandad worked as an electrician for John Browns and his work on new radar on the Hood finished the night before she left for sea. Any later and he would have been kept onboard and always thought he would have died when she went down.

[@Lowlandlord]

My Dad was always obsessed with the Hood. His favourite movie as a kid was the Sink the Bismarck!, so I love all of this. Also interesting note, Admiral Horace Hood, a descendent of the Admiral Hood that the ship was named after, died at Jutland.

[@-ZM_Gaming-]

On a ship named "Invincible" yeah the world doesn't let these names survive for long

[@sunrayisdown1690]

After over 100 years it is nice to see that the MOD has not change one bit. They always make the right decision but only after exhausting every other possibility. Look at the Type 45s !

[@jm9371]

I really enjoyed this one. HMS Hood needed an in depth dive of her design history; fascinating.

[@jacafren5842]

Imagine, there are people out there with no interest in naval warfare. I tell you it is true! I am very gratefull that Drachnifel is there for all the rest of us

[@therightarmofthefreeworld4703]

I’m not particularly interested in it, but I love military history in general. And Drach is the perfect antidote to most “history” videos on youtube (because most of them are garbage).

[@garyhill2740]

Such folks are strange creatures. We must give them our compassion and understanding, and hope they get better 😊

[@andrewpenley789]

The way Drach narrates this video on how this ship came to be is awesome. However hearing how the powers to be came to the design and construction has to be the most British thing i have ever heard. But interesting none the less.

[@iainmc9859]

Probably worth a visit to Fairfield Heritage Centre, Govan, if you're ever in Glasgow. They've obviously amassed more primary sources than they could ever possibly display in a museum dedicated to shipbuilding.

[@pete7872]

He pronounced Govan correct! With only a minor pause for thought! Well done Drach!

[@AmosDohms]

Now I'm curious, how else would one pronounce it? Drach's way seems obvious to me. Go-van?

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

But can he do Milngavie?

[@jamieduff1981]

@@AmosDohms in Scotland it is be pronounced more like Guh-van but without separation into two distinct syllables. The "o" is pronounced like "Government" rather than "Go". The "a" would be very soft as well, sounding closer to lower case "i" for some accents. It would not sound like Guv-Ann like the typically female name, and more like somewhere between Guhvin and Guvan. It actually does not sound unlike "Govern", if govern was pronounced lazily without care to distinguish the "r" sound.

[@Leon_der_Luftige]

Maybe some day he'll pronounce German stuff correctly too. I'll make my day.

[@pete7872]

@@AmosDohms oven but with a G in front. I live across the river, 5 minutes from the god forsaken place! 😂

[@Andy-ql9wh]

Thank you for this. Until now I never understood the history of the development of HMS Hood, as it was very involved. The photos are the icing on the cake. Watching them build it at keel level. The pic. of them lowering what appeared to be the lower turbine housing of one of the main engines into place was very interesting at least to me. Thank you again for saving and making accessible these almost forgotten images for us, I know it's not easy.. Bravo! On my way now to watch your sinking of HMS Hood video again....

[@scottjackson5173]

Very interesting research! What amazes me about battleship design. Is that once the all big gun battleship was built. Thinking about them became as thick as the ships main side armor. Also as swift as the ponderous pace of the machinery used to train the massive guns! Super dreadnoughts were big slow moving targets. Making them rather easy to hit. Armor was supposed to provide protection. Only the ship has to float, so the weight of armor is strictly limited. Meaning that the armor has to be carefully placed on the ship. So the destruction of HMS Hood was a classic example of why she was already obsolete when her hull was launched. The reason for this was simple enough. Big slow moving easy to hit targets. The speed of Hood, and similar fast battleships was an attempt to adress the issue. But with the large 40,000 ton displacement hull, Hood was the largest target to date. These ships were just too big. The fact was well demonstrated when hits from Prinze Eugen and Bismarck hit Hood's deck above the armor protection. Hood exploded rather violently. Hood's destruction was shortly followed by that of Bismarck. Leaving Prinze Eugen to return to port alone. Heavy Cruisers thus became the defacto battleships serving on the front lines. So the big vulnerable battleships could be saved from destruction. Only the front lines was what a battleship was built to excel in battle. The big guns and heavy armor providing an expected advantage. One that failed to materialize. As the twentieth century marched on. The operating speed of warships kept increasing. Making big slow super dreadnoughts unable to keep up. The giant guns were powerful, capable of inflicting massive damage. If they hit the target. Only the low rate of fire coupled with the ponderous pace of train. Made hitting small, fast agile targets rather difficult. The lighter guns used in the cruisers were better suited for battle. Even if many 8" guns didn't shoot much faster. They could be trained on target more quickly. Moreover cruisers were faster to build and far less expensive to replace. Big battleship guns got most of their use bombarding shore targets. Most naval battles involved small fast targets like aircraft. It's often been said that the aircraft carrier that made battleships obsolete. Only battleships had already been obsolete. Once the accuracy of naval gunfire substantially improved and the speed of most warships became greater than 30 knots. Allowing for numerous hits on any big slow moving target. As the loss of Hood demonstrated. Hits where there is no armor, can quickly be catastrophic.

[@thomasfsan]

Aka “How the sausage is made”. Was really into this question, and this video answered it!

[@crudbasher72]

Probably one of the best looking warships of that era. Great video, thanks Drachinifel

[@JamesAnderson-dp1dt]

Drach, I kinda doubt anyone else has expressed interest, but I'd love videos on the First World War UC I, UC II, and UC III class minelayer submarines. You know, in your spare time. :-)

[@gregorybrewer6776]

Hood is my favourite ship. Even more so than Warspite. Understandably, you've made my day 🎉

[@Nick-rs5if]

"Even more so than Warspite." Heretic! Burn the heretic! 😂

[@marckyle5895]

@@Nick-rs5if Yes, but does he float like a duck? And if he does, what else floats like a duck?

[@grahamstrouse1165]

@@marckyle5895Wood?

[@marckyle5895]

@@grahamstrouse1165 (nods) And therefore?

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

@@marckyle5895 A WITCH!!!

[@assessor1276]

Excellent work Drach - I’ve always had a soft spot for Hood.

[@johnfisher9692]

Thanks Drach HMS Hood was the largest warship for decades and certainly one of the most beautiful ships ever built. It is a tragedy she never got the reconstruction she deserved, if she had I think Bismarck's voyage would have ended in much sooner

[@P_RO_]

At least there would have been a chance for Hood. Lutjens knew exactly what to do once he understood who his opponent was because they too knew the armor upgrade wasn't done.

[@Ah01]

I wonder if the rebuild would have put special emphasis on deepening the side armour downwards? Since a chance hit below the side belt was the probable culprit, like drachs previous video suggests. If not, the rebuild would not have had direct impact on the outcome. But it always is a lot of if:s, impossible to tell all the different factors being altered.

[@HSS_yt]

ironically the reason her place on the refit list was so late was just because she was seen as the most powerful of them all.... if she was refitted, then we might not even have seen vanguard. that's an interesting thing to think about!

[@Calum_S]

Flawed she may have been, but HMS Hood was a handsome ship.

[@jackdaniel7465]

Every ship has flaws, good example USS Arizona, it was just a lucky shot by the Bismarck.🇺🇸

[@jackdaniel7465]

And yes it was a handsome ship.

[@joshuaboyle7585]

Absolutely gorgeous no doubt.

[@101stLegion]

HMS Hood is the JFK of warships. Everyone knows there was a second Bismark on the Icy Knoll.

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

Every British capital ship built before Hood had near identical flaws in their armour. WW1 armour schemes simply don't work in WW2.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@waverleyjournalise5757 Perhaps because the change to AoN from incremental had not yet been made when the last WW1 RN battleships were laid down? The first AoN battleships, the Nevadas, were only laid down in late 1912.

[@cookiecraze1310]

​@@waverleyjournalise5757Hood going down was pretty much just because the Bismarck rolled nat 20's on that specific salvo. In any normal condition it wouldn't have gone down but (for once) luck was on the Bismarck's side.

[@paulprovenzano3755]

I need to find more videos about this wonderful ship. I’ve never heard of her before but she sounds pretty cool.😂

[@CachingCadre]

I find these design videos to be just as exciting and informative as the ones on battles.

[@andrewfanner2245]

Superb set of photos there, thank you.

[@rodneymccoy8108]

It would have been interesting to have asked Admiral Jellicoe what his impressions of an Iowa would have been. What he liked and perhaps what he might not have liked about her.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

The numbet of well-considered objections or changes that Adm Jellicoe asked for gives a lot of insight into how technically in tune he was with ship design and battle dynamics. Knowing little about him, he just became very impressive in my mind!!!

[@paulmetzgar2604]

Thanks for doing a video on explaining how the Hood was developed. Most historians miss this in their works. Watching this video was such a blast, and it utterly obliterated any Hood related knowledge gaps.

[@jermainerace4156]

283mm is a fractional inch size: 11-9/64" Mind you, I've never heard of a previous naval gun intentionally made to 64ths, but when working with smaller mechanical objects, these fractional sizes are not unheard-of. A very comprehensive modern set of drill bits or collets for example, might have 64th sizes.

[@rulebretgne5244]

I love how the ship was so long that it jutted into the town

[@colinlove5062]

The previous Hood videos are up there with my all time favorite Drac content. Keeping all that in mind makes the design & construction of Hood fascinating. 👍

[@tominmtnvw]

What an awesome video! Thank you so much.

[@agesflow6815]

Thank you, Drachinifel.

[@kc4cvh]

I've never heard any mention in any forum of HMS Hood's namesake, Admiral Samuel Hood.

[@indigohammer5732]

The model in "The Clyde Room" at Glasgow Museum of Transport, is the largest there, it's enormous.

[@johnculver2519]

Thank you for these great construction pictures

[@janwitts2688]

Q turrets were a somewhat dubious endowment anyway... statistically as they were generally near dead centre and the enemy salvo was targeted at dead centre Q turrets would be more likely on broadsides to take roof hits.. and in practice this happened .. again and again..

[@scottgiles7546]

So..... You make the roof thicker on Q turrets, ALL Q turrets, then? (My ship has a bad case of Turrets?)

[@bluemarlin8138]

The bigger issue was having an extra magazine amidships. You could make the turret face and roof thicker without too much of a weight penalty, but not the belt.

[@marckyle5895]

Or wing turrets. Twice the vulnerability, less than half the useability because firing the turret on the far side meant concussing your own deck, nearby superstructure, lifeboats and maybe the crew in the other turret (edit: if the barrels are pointed a bit fore or aft towards the other turret which is also facing fore or aft towards the enemy). Imagine trying to use the sights mounted on the turret while getting gun blasted every 40 seconds! What I've read is that SOP in the RN was to not use the far turret but to turn it towards the enemy because of the thicker armour on the front. How useless is that?

[@marckyle5895]

@@scottgiles7546 The Agincourt has the worst case of Turrets I've ever seen!

[@colinmartin2921]

Excellent, thank you. What this video shows is how Dreadnought design and development was still in its infancy in 1914, and there was no concensus about the way forward.

[@hmsverdun]

Jellicoe was much more concerned about the Battlecruiser force-and that was just the admiral in charge of them. Also ah yes another intel report dramatically overstating the power of the opponents causing something quite a ot nastier than what was going to be built(although the Mackensen was pretty nasty on paper as it was pretty much a German Kongo class).

[@grandadmiralraeder9608]

with better armour than a Kongo

[@BlahCraft1]

I like how they started the design with the idea to make a ship that wouldn't cover it's crew in water, and ended up making Hood, a ship often called "The Royal Navy's Largest Submarine" due to how wet her crew was.

[@wilsonlaidlaw]

Drachinfel, in your opinion, might having the build revised to put the magazines below the shell rooms, have prevented the sinking of HMS Hood or at least slowed it down.

[@curthenderson6407]

Nice to see Hood covered. Honestly, all I ever knew about Hood was she was sunk by Bismarck.

[@donaldrobertson117]

Very interesting insights into the design process. The actual build process still fascinates.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Yeah ... I look at such a big, powerful ship - and it's so hard to believe it was utterly destroyed. .

[@myparceltape1169]

It must have got the John Brown ("joan broon") men annoyed.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

I used to say the same thing about the space shuttle.

[@michaelkovacic2608]

Design A: exists Jellicoe: I'm about to end this man's whole career

[@graveyard1979]

"Rule The Waves". Well played, WoW. Well played.

[@hauk65000]

The Hood was a brilliant and overwhelming warship in its early days. But in 1941 run down. In the duel with Bismarck they had to use an antiquated manual aiming disc to control the fire.. Of an estimated 12 volleys, they were aimed at the cruiser Prinz Eugen, and none of the volleys hit anywhere near it or Bismarck. Although Holland had given the order to change the target. In contrast, the newly built Prince of Wales received covering fire from the first salvo... It is a tragedy, but the entire operation should have been carried out from a distance, and with at least one aircraft carrier.

[@admanpaulandrew]

Wonderful piece as usual Drach. Thanks from Australia, sorry I didn't catch you down under (no pun intended).

[@Jesusfreak-m3x]

This was the first rum ration that I have finished. I enjoy this sort of history without so much time in the library. I have been a fan of "Hood" and the Nelrods since I was in high school in the late 60s. Question: What effect would the fifteen-inch guns of the "Vanguard" meant to the Royal Marines and Commandos in the Falkland's, had she still been available?

[@nicholasmaude6906]

IMO Adm. Jellicoe's reputation was unfairly besmirched as a result of the battle of Jutland with that glory-hound Adm. Beatty getting credit he didn't deserve.

[@erika_itsumi5141]

Im going to be honest Dogfights Hunt for the Bismarck, is where I found and ultimately fell in love with Hood, such a beautiful ship. And please tell me, im not the only one who sees a face in Hoods bridge.

[@gordonclark7632]

I would like to see a video on the various types of sterns. Was there a reason that some ships had curved sterns, pointed sterns and flat sterns?

[@telescoper]

Those constant changes to Hood's design during construction must have driven the shipyard engineers and workers crazy! Do you have any information on how much the changes delayed her completion and her cost?

[@George_M_]

The Hood was such a nice ship, shame about the design flaw of not taking bow wave dip into account when locating ammunition.

[@gabon4000]

It is very interesting to see it in dock under construction, absulutely massive it was. Such a beauty too.

[@arohk1579]

She was one of a kind 😊

[@skylarsoper241]

I play world of warships legends and have been for 4 years strong , I own the hood ,Nelson, vanguard ,warspite, Cossack , late war Belfast ,London, Cheshire,Exeter just to name a few 😊

[@Thirdbase9]

I think Drach chose this ship because he can pronounce all the ship names.

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

A beautiful ship sadly lost in battle and also a beautiful shipfu. 10/10 Best tea drinker

[@ph89787]

Drach's best girl.

[@bkjeong4302]

@@ph89787 He could do much, much worse. One of my favourites as well (both IRL and in-game).

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

@@ph89787 AL Hood has the Drach seal of approval

[@mpetersen6]

As Ted Briggs said. "A beautiful shop with a glass jaw." I think Drach's analysis from a couple of years ago makes sense. Hood got hit by a shell that penetrated below the belt.

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

@@mpetersen6 I wouldn't call a shot below the belt a glass jaw, it was such an unforeseen scenario in WW1 and yet happened 3 times at the Denmark Strait - first prize to Hood, but one of Bismarck's shells got stuck in Prince of Wales's keel and Wales's return flooded one of Bismarck's turbogenerator rooms. The Japanese even for a time carried out tests on 'diving shells' designed to fly underwater and strike ships below the belt. Glass jaw is Courageous-levels of armour in my book.

[@nomoss9600]

I have no idea what I’m about to watch but I’m sufficiently hyped by the title.

[@dylangunter1671]

Fantastic video as always Drach! Please keep it up!

[@scimitaredgebooks]

Utterly fascinating, thank you!

[@patrickkelly7838]

Great video. I know you don't usually talk about sail, BUT, I have never been able to locate much of anything related to the First HMS Victory. The wreck was located a few years ago or I would not even heard of it at all. Would you consider a Video about her? Thanks

[@nilo9456]

Drach, thank you for this video.

[@alexlupsor5484]

Good afternoon , I have wondered why it took HMS Hood so many salvoes even to stratal the PRINZ EUGENE? My problem is with the inaccuracy of Hood during the critical opening moments,as she must had been tracking them, with their 15” guns using radar while they were proceeding into battle. Another thing, they had calculated the moments of engagement with crossing their T, but the Germans had the advantage and which also lead to its final demise. I did read that there was a time when the Germans had increased speed during the night that Admr. Holland had not noticed in the plot room. My main question is, were the 15”guns worn to cause Hood to miss? Up until this time, I’ve not found where the main 15” guns were replaced, from between the Norwegian campaign through to this time, she had used them quite a lot in number of shells fired. She never had gotten the range right or again was the main guns worn out and could not fire accurately by this time? The RN would send her to fight even if the shells would wobble leaving the 15” gun turrets. She should have had Bismarck dead to right. PoW was able to, not only, straddle but she obtained critical hits and damage her. Hood just seems to be a lame duck. Is my observation wrong or does it have marrett?

[@grahamstrouse1165]

The word is “merit” and yes, I think it does.

[@alexlupsor5484]

@@grahamstrouse1165do you have any evidence about how worn out they were? I have very little experience as to chasing done information on this subject. Could you possibly help steer me to some point of information maybe?

[@-ZM_Gaming-]

*Prinz Eugen I dont know if any her guns have been replaced before the battle. It should have shown up by now after many historians have researched her papers but the paperwork have either not survived the war or just deep beneath the labyrinth of paperwork

[@garychisholm2174]

Alaska, Hood, where is our next Deep Draughtsman's Guide?

[@champagnegascogne9755]

*"Elegance isn't just for show"*

[@-ZM_Gaming-]

You have brought me here 11 months later

[@-ZM_Gaming-]

Absolutely brilliant video on Hood. I am a big fan of Naval Battles myself and it all started of me getting interested in the Denmark Strait. Brilliant video just like the vid where you showed a theory on Hood's final voyage

[@ronalddevine9587]

Very informative. Sad ending to a magnificent ship.

[@pxrays547]

I like this add of the design process and additional construction documentation.

[@kemarisite]

24:01 is anyone else shocked at 8" of belt armor in context? While the Renowns had crap armor until their refits after the war, everything from Lion through to Tiger had 9" of belt armor at the thickest. Reducing the armor, even if it's effectively the same thickness because of angling, is a silly move in the face of the fact the Germans had already switched from 28 cm to 30.5 cm guns and were increasing again for both battleships and battlecruisers.

[@bluemarlin8138]

9” of armor was the bare minimum that made sense for a battlecruiser once everyone knew they’d be facing off against their own kind. That could provide some protection at long range and was still immune to cruiser guns until absurdly close ranges...like maybe 5,000 yards. As we saw with Hiei, an 8” vertical belt won’t even protect against 8” guns under 10,000 yards.

[@JevansUK]

British found that their 15" shells struggled to penetrate 6" plate at anything more than 30 degrees

[@JevansUK]

The cats only cover the machinery and q magazines with 360lb plate.

[@kemarisite]

@@JevansUK 360 lb at 40 lb per inch, so 9". I thought that extended a bit farther to cover the magazines, but if it's only machinery and the intervening Q magazine then what does it step down to put to A and X magazines?

[@kemarisite]

@@JevansUK theirs, sure. However, in 1915 at Dogger Bank the German 28 cm guns were credited with penetrating 5" and 6" armor belt sections of the British battlecruisers.

[@WindmillStalker]

Great photograph around 15:50 but I'm wondering, those thick plates, are those the armour plates? They look massive and they're so far forward. I know we're not close to the all-or-nothing era of protection yet, but blimey, those slabs look massively thick.

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

I still think the Royal Navy would have done better to build all 4 of Admiral-class than bother with the Revenges.

[@centurion2275]

Hindsight being 20-20, and fudging some years, the royal navy would be in a bit better spot for ww2.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

The 'R' class had been laid down before the war. Three had been commissioned by the time of Jutland. The 'Admiral' class were only laid down in September - November, 1916.

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 Even in that case, I still think that the RN should have predicted the design direction of the world's navies following the QE Class, instead of taking a step backwards by choosing the Revenges. With hindsight it's obvious to see that speed was going to be the way forward, with the proof of the pudding being how Repulse and Renown performed.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@waverleyjournalise5757 The 'R' class were part of the Anglo-German naval race. They were built as a development of the 'Iron Dukes' effectively as cheaper, coal fired, versions of the QEs, with the 21 knots of speed enabling them to form part of the battlefleet. They were converted to oil firing during construction, but were superior to any German capital ship, except arguably the Badens, which never saw action. Why was 'speed the way forward?' The US Navy & the French Navy didn't seem to think so, with their fastest capital ships being 21 knots and 20 knots respectively for the next 20 years. What do you think Renown & Repulse proved?

[@MonsieurPhilippe1]

Hood wasn't commissioned as a class of one, but as a class of her own.

[@Paciat]

The quick-sink class?

[@MonsieurPhilippe1]

@@Paciat: A few thousand tons of additional armour and better firing accuracy undoubtedly would have helped.

[@Paciat]

@@MonsieurPhilippe1 Yes, a better everything would be better.

[@donaldrobertson117]

Jellicoe is the hero here.

[@g1stylempdesign929]

Absolutely! He’s usually deep diving into Excelsior class Star ships.

[@kenpage3321]

Hi Drachinifel. Love your stuff and wish I had time to watch it. This episode reminded me that I’d love to know why there was so much obsession with fitting torpedo tubes on Battleships? This puzzled me for years and it would be great to hear why they wanted to potentially compromise safety by having extra holes in the hill or extra explosives on deck, for a weapon we rarely if ever hear of battleships actually using. Maybe one for a q&a episode, or an episode on battleship auxiliary systems?

[@InternetEntity]

After Drach's excellent video of quite a while ago discussing how The Mighty Hood met her end, and now this design commentary; at long last I think I can no longer claim that it is too soon to discuss her sinking... In true British stereotypical fashion and keeping Royal Navy fandom alive, it still hurts though!

[@Rdeboer]

_"If any subordinate opposes me I will make his wife a widow, his children fatherless and his home a dunghill."_ *Lord Fisher*

[@panic_2001]

Currently on vacation on the North Sea coast, just woke up and there is the right video from Drach ✌️