Description
The Hood was a 42,100 ton Battlecruiser built at Clydebank, Scotland and completed in March 1920. For more than two decades she was the worlds largest warship with her long, low hull and finely balanced silhouette the embodiment of “big gun” era sea-power. Hood served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean protecting British interests. In May 1941 Hood in company with Prince of Wales set set sail on an interception course for the Bismarck, which was being tracked by HMSs Suffolk and Norfolk. On May 24th the enemy was sighted to the west of Iceland, resulting in the ‘Battle of the Denmark Strait’ . One or more 15″ shells penetrated Hood’s after magazines resulting in her sinking in just a few minutes with the loss of all but three of her crew of 1,412. This demonstrated the essential weakness in her deck armour of plunging shells from a modern warship which sadly could not be addressed before the outbreak of the Second World War. The encounter with the Bismarck was one of the lowest points for the Royal Navy in the Second World War.
The kit is only version of this famous ship in 1/350 scale. Measuring 749.4 mm in length, and with a beam of 59.5 mm, the kit has 533 pieces, including a small fret of photo-etch parts.
For those wishing to provide additional detailing a wide variety of aftermarket products are available from the likes of Flyhawk and Lionroar for photoetching, including railings which the kit does not provide for, and for replacement of ships boats and secondary armament etc, superb 3D parts are available from Micromaster.
The HMS Hood Association provides a wealth of information on the kit, as well as on the ship in general.
Although pre-owned the kit part remain in their sealed bags. The box lid in good condition, save a few minor scuff marks on the top.
