[WIP] HMS Hood & Refit

[Karle94]

I thought that I`d announce my next project; the mighty Hood and a hypothetical refit. Career playable. Expect updates as they come.

Here`s a few pictures
1939-1942 configuration:



1943-1945 configuration:


She will be compatible with stock 1.5 only.

Here`s the link:
http://www.filefront.com/17458801/HMS_Hood_V1.0.rar

[Sledgehammer427]

interesting idea...Hood with a warspite/KGV bridge

Kinda makes me wonder what they woulda done in real life.

[Lagger123987]

nevermind, just my brower...thought the pics aren't showing. Looking forward to this.

[iowa101]

so looking forward to sailing around with this.

thankyou for taking on the job.

if you would allow me, i can find some decent pics for detail purposes, also a possible texture and the statistics for the ship, armour, displacement and so on

[GerritJ9]

It's not so hypothetical...... had WW2 not broken out in 1939, "Hood" would have undergone an extensive refit which would have improved her protection, installed more modern machinery and replaced her secondary armament with eight twin 5.25" DP turrets as fitted to the KGVs. The result would probably have been similar in appearance to "Renown" but with eight 15" guns of course. In December 1938 it was proposed to start work after the extensive refit of "Queen Elizabeth" was completed, but after the outbreak of war in September 1939 "Hood" simply could not be spared for the considerable time such a refit would have required (ditto for "Repulse").
See "British Battleships of World War 2" by Alan Raven and John Roberts, pages 195-197 for further details.

[iowa101]

Proposed Modifications
What follows is a list of the proposed work:

New internal machinery. Nearly everything would have been upgraded, especially engines/propulsion.
Rearranged/remodelled torpedo bulges and side armour. Bulge would have extended to the top of the 7" armour belt rather than to the top of the 12" belt)
Improved deck armour/protection over vital areas
Removal of spotting top and the 5" side armour
New superstructure and masts fore and aft. Most notably, the forward superstructure would have been a "block" type similar to that of Renown, the Queen Elizabeths or the King George Vs (KGV).
New funnels. These would have been something similar to those on Renown as KGV funnels would have been too small.
Addition of a catapult, hangars and Walrus seaplanes. (See "Some Considerations" below)
Improved antiaircraft (AAA) protection. This would include: The addition of 3 pom poms (for a total of 6), removal of all UPs and 4" HA/LA guns and lastly, the addition of either 16 x 4.5" (like Renown) or 5.25" guns (like KGV) (See "Some Considerations" below)
Upgraded fire control. She would have received updated radar, fire control tables, comms, directors, etc.
Extended forecastle deck. Hood's stern was notoriously wet due to her overweight condition. An extension was considered for the simple fact that it might help keep the quarterdeck a bit drier. The extension would retain the rough "V" shape but would instead, extend to "X" turret. (See "Some Considerations" below).

Some Considerations

We feel that due to certain circumstances, of the above list, a few items would likely have been changed or possibly not implemented:
Catapult/aircraft gear–. By 1944/1945, the Royal Navy had reexamined the need for aircraft aboard battleships and battle cruisers. Due to key considerations, not the least of which was the improvement in aerial surveillance radar, it was decided to remove such equipment. Therefore, Hood, under construction during this period. would likely have had changes made. It is possible that if aircraft were not used, the space they would have occupied would have gone to boats or possibly increased 40mm antiaircraft batteries.
4.5" or 5.25" Secondary Battery–. Though the 5.25" would have been preferred, there were availability issues with the guns. Instead, the widely available 4.5" guns would have been a more likely choice to install aboard Hood.. It was also a more standard sized round (Queen Elizabeth, Renown, carriers, etc.).
Extended Forecastle deck–. This would only have been done if other modifications did not result in a significant reduction in displacement/increase in freeboard. If Hood sat higher in the water, there would have been no need for the extension.
Location of shell rooms and magazines–. This, Hood's "Achilles heel," would not have been fixed. The powder magazines would still have been situated dangerously over the shell rooms.

this is the info of the would have been refit, this information comes from the HMS HOOD ASSOCIATION, a good source of information.
along with a crew list, dimensions and also specifications on weapons and protection......
and some art that can be used for loading screens if you wished.

i also have a link to a 3d rendering of the hood at the day of the sinking so you can add some minor details you would miss from models.

http://www.hmshood.com/photos/hoodphotos3.htm

please use this information in your mod as if will indefinitely help to increase it's potential and also it's desirability among those captains of the sea
who would love the chance to command such a sea worthy vessel.

[Karle94]

Originally Posted by iowa101

Proposed Modifications
What follows is a list of the proposed work:

New internal machinery. Nearly everything would have been upgraded, especially engines/propulsion.
Rearranged/remodelled torpedo bulges and side armour. Bulge would have extended to the top of the 7" armour belt rather than to the top of the 12" belt)
Improved deck armour/protection over vital areas
Removal of spotting top and the 5" side armour
New superstructure and masts fore and aft. Most notably, the forward superstructure would have been a "block" type similar to that of Renown, the Queen Elizabeths or the King George Vs (KGV).
New funnels. These would have been something similar to those on Renown as KGV funnels would have been too small.
Addition of a catapult, hangars and Walrus seaplanes. (See "Some Considerations" below)
Improved antiaircraft (AAA) protection. This would include: The addition of 3 pom poms (for a total of 6), removal of all UPs and 4" HA/LA guns and lastly, the addition of either 16 x 4.5" (like Renown) or 5.25" guns (like KGV) (See "Some Considerations" below)
Upgraded fire control. She would have received updated radar, fire control tables, comms, directors, etc.
Extended forecastle deck. Hood's stern was notoriously wet due to her overweight condition. An extension was considered for the simple fact that it might help keep the quarterdeck a bit drier. The extension would retain the rough "V" shape but would instead, extend to "X" turret. (See "Some Considerations" below).

Some Considerations

We feel that due to certain circumstances, of the above list, a few items would likely have been changed or possibly not implemented:
Catapult/aircraft gear–. By 1944/1945, the Royal Navy had reexamined the need for aircraft aboard battleships and battle cruisers. Due to key considerations, not the least of which was the improvement in aerial surveillance radar, it was decided to remove such equipment. Therefore, Hood, under construction during this period. would likely have had changes made. It is possible that if aircraft were not used, the space they would have occupied would have gone to boats or possibly increased 40mm antiaircraft batteries.
4.5" or 5.25" Secondary Battery–. Though the 5.25" would have been preferred, there were availability issues with the guns. Instead, the widely available 4.5" guns would have been a more likely choice to install aboard Hood.. It was also a more standard sized round (Queen Elizabeth, Renown, carriers, etc.).
Extended Forecastle deck–. This would only have been done if other modifications did not result in a significant reduction in displacement/increase in freeboard. If Hood sat higher in the water, there would have been no need for the extension.
Location of shell rooms and magazines–. This, Hood's "Achilles heel," would not have been fixed. The powder magazines would still have been situated dangerously over the shell rooms.

this is the info of the would have been refit, this information comes from the HMS HOOD ASSOCIATION, a good source of information.
along with a crew list, dimensions and also specifications on weapons and protection......
and some art that can be used for loading screens if you wished.

i also have a link to a 3d rendering of the hood at the day of the sinking so you can add some minor details you would miss from models.

http://www.hmshood.com/photos/hoodphotos3.htm

please use this information in your mod as if will indefinitely help to increase it's potential and also it's desirability among those captains of the sea
who would love the chance to command such a sea worthy vessel.

Do you have any information on speed and displacement if she got the refit.

[iowa101]

this link gives a basic dimension for the ship
ill post infor that goes into detail when i have sorted through it

http://www.hmshood.com/ship/dimensions2.jpg


Armour (K. C.):
Vertical:
3" Side (submerged)
12", 7", 5" Side (amidships)
6" - 5" Side (forward)
6" Side (aft)
5", 4" Bulkh`ds (f. & a.)
12" - 11" Barbetters
15" Face turrets
12" - 11" Sides turrets
12" & 9" C.T.
6" C.T. Base
6" Director tower
4" - 3" Torp. control tower
5.5" P. & S. R. F. towers
1" Funnel uptakes
1" (H. T.) Shields to 5.5" guns Armour (H. T.):
Decks:
2" Forecastle
1" U.D. amidships
1.5" - 3" Main deck
3" M. D. over magazines
1.5" - 1" L. D. forward
3" - 1" L. D. aft Crowns:
3" Director tower
5" C. T.
3" Torpedo control tower
5" Turrets
Special protection (H. T.):
1.5" and 0.75" Torp. pro. b`lk`d over magazines, boiler and engine rooms, bulges and buoyancy spaces.

[Karle94]

Originally Posted by iowa101

this link gives a basic dimension for the ship
ill post infor that goes into detail when i have sorted through it

http://www.hmshood.com/ship/dimensions2.jpg


Armour (K. C.):
Vertical:
3" Side (submerged)
12", 7", 5" Side (amidships)
6" - 5" Side (forward)
6" Side (aft)
5", 4" Bulkh`ds (f. & a.)
12" - 11" Barbetters
15" Face turrets
12" - 11" Sides turrets
12" & 9" C.T.
6" C.T. Base
6" Director tower
4" - 3" Torp. control tower
5.5" P. & S. R. F. towers
1" Funnel uptakes
1" (H. T.) Shields to 5.5" guns Armour (H. T.):
Decks:
2" Forecastle
1" U.D. amidships
1.5" - 3" Main deck
3" M. D. over magazines
1.5" - 1" L. D. forward
3" - 1" L. D. aft Crowns:
3" Director tower
5" C. T.
3" Torpedo control tower
5" Turrets
Special protection (H. T.):
1.5" and 0.75" Torp. pro. b`lk`d over magazines, boiler and engine rooms, bulges and buoyancy spaces.

You don`t have to state how thick the armor is on specific places as the game doesn`t work in the same way as in real life.

[iowa101]

i just got what i could lols, the would have been refit info is hard to get a hold of beings as after it's sinking the plan would've been scrapped i suppose. still looking around and ill let you know

[Karle94]

Here`s a couple of pictures of her in-game:













What ever I do the guns insist on staying black. She also has a tendensy to roll alot in heavy weather.

[Hunter]

Why wouldn't just make 'Renown' insted of this rather useless hipothetical ship?

[Karle94]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Why wouldn't just make 'Renown' insted of this rather useless hipothetical ship?

I could also make the Renown. What do you mean by useless?

[MGR1]

Originally Posted by Karle94

I could also make the Renown. What do you mean by useless?

The Renown would be very handy - she was the only one of the trio to survive. She'd be a nice touch to add to Lurker's "We Dive at Dawn" mod as she did serve with the Eastern Fleet during 1943-44.

A rebuilt Hood is a purely hypothetical exercise - since it didn't occur, it's not necessary to have it in-game if your sticking to a realistic campaign.

Fine for a fictional "What If?" or as a playable unit, though.

Mike.

[Hunter]

Absolutely agree, with previous post, but concidering that we still don't have such impotant WW2 era ship as HMS Renown, real unit could be much more useful and usable for both historic and fictional campaigns