The Battlecruiser Hms Hood

The battlecruiser HMS Hood is one of the great warships of history. Unmatched for beauty, unequalled for size, for twenty years the Hood was the glory ship of the Royal Navy, flying the flag across the world in the twilight years of the British Empire. Here, in words, photos and colour illustrations, is the story of her life, her work and her people from keel-laying on the Clyde in 1916 to destruction at the hands of the Bismarck in 1941. Among the eyecatching strengths of the book is a unique gallery of photos, including stills from a recently discovered piece of colour footage of the ship, plus a spectacular set of computer-generated images of both the exterior and interior by the world's leading exponent of the art - a man who worked with the film director James Cameron (of Titanic fame). A wealth of new information on Hood's structure and operation make it essential reading for the enthusiast, modeller and historian alike. Hugely successful from its first publication, this is the third printing of the ultimate book on the ultimate ship of the pre-war era.

The destruction of the HMS Hood by the Bismarck in 1941 was one of the most shocking episodes in the history of the Royal Navy. Built during World War I, the Hood was the largest, fastest and one of the most handsome capital ships in the world. For the first time, this volume in the renowned Anatomy of a Ship series is available in paperback, and features a detailed description of every aspect of the beloved battlecruiser. In addition to analysing the genesis of its design and contemporary significance, this exceptional study provides the finest documentation of the Hood, with a complete set of superb line drawings, supported by technical details and a record of the ship's service history.

The year 2001 witnesses the sixtieth anniversary of one of the most shocking and tragic episodes in the history of the Royal Navy; the loss of HMS Hood. Built during the First World War, the Hood was the largest, fastest and one of the most handsome capital ships in the world. This revised edition features a full and detailed description of every aspect of HMS Hood, analysing the genesis of the design and its contemporary significance

There have been many fine books written on HMS Hood, the glory of the Royal Navy, while television and cinema have also taken the subject to their heart. No book, however, has ever offered the combination of in-depth research and thrilling narrative to be found in The End of Glory. For twenty years Hood symbolised the Royal Navy during the twilight years of the British Empire before, in 1941, being destroyed in seconds by the battleship Bismarck, a catastrophe that shattered the morale the British public. For those who manned her, however, she was both a home and a fighting platform, and this new book, through official documents as well as the personal accounts and reminiscences of more than 150 crewmen, offers a vivid image of the face of naval life and the face of naval battle. A brilliant behind-the scenes exposé of a warship in peace and war, it not only paints an intimate picture of everyday life but deals with any number of controversial issues such as the Invergordon mutiny, escapades ashore and afloat, the Christmas mutiny of 1940 and the terrible conditions onboard in war. This coverage, based on so many original sources, makes for a truly compelling story which neither historian, enthusiast nor general reader will find easy to put down.

The text part of this book describes history of the ship's construction and service. This is accompanied by more than 100 color illustrations showing HMS Hood's appearance in her final configuration, during battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941.

The Bismarck is perhaps the most famous – and notorious – warship ever built. Completed in 1941, the 45,000-ton German battleship sank HMS Hood, the pride of the British Navy, during one of the most sensational encounters in naval history. Following the sinking, Bismarck was chased around the North Atlantic by many units of the Royal Navy. She was finally dispatched with gunfire and torpedoes on 27 May, less than five months after her completion. Her wreck still lies where she sank, 4,800m down and 960km off the west coast of France. Drawing on new research and technology, this edition is the most comprehensive examination of Bismarck ever published. It includes a complete set of detailed line drawings with fully descriptive keys and full-colour 3D artwork, supported by technical details, photographs and text on the building of the ship and a record of the ship's service history.

For over twenty years the battlecruiser HMS 'Hood' toured the world as the most iconic warship in the Royal Navy. Unmatched in her beauty and charisma, 'Hood' is one of history's greatest warships. During the twilight years of the British Empire the 'Hood 'toured the world showing the flag as a symbol of British power. As the Royal Navy's show-ship, 'Hood' came to command a special place in the hearts and minds of the British public. Such was the regard for HMS 'Hood' that her destruction in the Denmark Strait on the morning of 24 May 1941 by the German battleship 'Bismarck' created dismay across the world. Within minutes of entering battle 'the Mighty Hood' as she was affectionately known, was destroyed by a catastrophic explosion which had echoes of Jutland a quarter of a century earlier. Out of a crew of a crew of 1,418, only 3 survived. The sinking of HMS 'Hood' was the single largest disaster ever sustained by the Royal Navy. This book charts the life and death of this legendary battlecruiser in both peace and war from her early origins, through the interwar years, to her destruction.