warspite1
Posts: 41353
Joined: 2/2/2008 From: England Status: offline
|
quote:
Apologies to our friends across the pond BUT I don't understand the HMS HOOD fascination. One of a kind, 10-15 minutes in combat and blew up. QUEEN ELIZABETH class - understandable - good service in two wars. ARK ROYAL had an ignominious end but did some good work before she succumbed, most everything other than the HOOD is a better choice in my mind. Further to the above (and post 12) that statement can be made about a number of ships in World War II, but the fact is, battlefield prowess is rarely the sole criterion (or in some cases not even one of the criterion) when people decide which ships to take an interest in or ‘fascination’ with. The Bismarck is another obvious example. After all, what did this battleship achieve exactly, apart from despatching a World War I vintage battlecruiser to the bottom of the sea? But as with HMS Hood, her combat record is only a small part of the story. 1. Debate rages about her internal design or her secondary armament short-coming, but neither matter when it comes to her great looks, mean, purposeful and business-like in a teutonic kind of way. Hell, even her name is impressive . 2. Her sole combat operation is also what builds the legend: maiden operation, threat to convoys, sinking of the Hood, Churchill’s order “Sink the Bismarck!”, found, tracked, engaged, tracked, lost, found, when found the last time she was clear of RN surface forces, desperate last ditch carrier-borne attack, torpedo in the vitals, overwhelmed, sunk (or scuttled if you prefer ). Of course some battleships (e.g. HMS Warspite) have everything, looks and excellent war record (two World Wars actually ), but there are probably more ships in the Hood / Bismarck category – Yamato (largest ever battleship, but underused and was sunk while on a one way suicide mission) being another obvious one – where actual tonnage sunk/battles won is NOT why they garner so much attention from military enthusiasts. US battleships probably get a raw deal as the CV’s hogged the limelight in the Pacific but USS South Dakota still does it for me .
Attachment (1)
< Message edited by warspite1 -- 3/4/2015 7:08:15 AM >
_____________________________
England expects that every man will do his duty. Horatio Nelson October 1805
|