Calling all HMS "Mighty" Hood fans

[Filipe Ramires]

Wasn't she a beauty!?!?!?

[EJFoeth]

The city archives of Vancouver have a few nice shots. Link added with a search query, might not find all pics...

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/;sea ... =hood+1924

[Guest]

The other battlecruisers from Admiral class were not completed yet.
And I remembered when she sunk a fountain of fire sprouted out and then exploded,after that she fired one last salvo before she sank.

[HMS Hood Fan]

Hi people, I have been recommended to post here from a guy in the HMS Hood Association forum.

Need a little advice on the White Ensign Models 1/350 replacement resin cast Hood turrets that are to replace the inaccurate plastic ones that come with the Trumpeter kit.

I'm going to build as she was sunk so can anybody tell me the following?

1. Which range finders provided with the turrets would accurate in '41?

2. There are four flat parts called "foot plates" in the instructions that glue to the underside of the turret rear, the instructions are not very clear as to what the end result is to look like, so if anybody can show me or expand on what is required, that would be great.

3. I also bought the Trumpeter made armament upgrade set that is intended to fit inside the original turrets. Being the replacement turrets are solid cast resin, I'm intending to use the blast bag versions of the gun, does that mean a simple hollowing out and glue into the turret opening?

Any advice or help would be great appreciated people. It's not going to be build reality until maybe next year, I'm currently saving up for a Photo etch set to go with her so I would like to ask which one is best?

Steve.

[EJFoeth]

1) The ones with the flat side
2) Foot plates? Don't recall them to be part of the turret set? Do you have an image?
3) You do need to drill in the turrets. I drilled in from the front and from the bottom of the turret to add resin for fixing (used other barrels though). You can use a template to guide the barrels for spacing and aiming if you like.

[HMS Hood Fan]

Many thanks EJ, solved the problem of the range finders.

Yes I will photo the "foot plates" later and post here for you to see. It's a thin piece or resin, flat on the bottom and both side, the top is curved, kind of looks like a D lying on it's flat side. The instructions point to it being glued on the underside of the rear of the turret. I have not the faintest what is is.

[HMS Hood Fan]

Hi, I recently found this picture of X-Y trurrets, and clearly visible are the mentioned foot plates, circled in yellow. At least this gives a better idea of where they seat.

Does anybody know the purpose of these plates?

[EJFoeth]

I see what you mean; this can be seen on all turrets. I don't think they have a special function (counterbalancing the turret was usually done with the rear armour plate) but that this small plate was not added to the original casting master and was added as an afterthought by WEM. I must have missed it when making the turrets

[NigelR32]

Hello everyone,

I have the trumpeter Hood in 1/350th and would like to build her as she was on May 24th 1941...

Having looked around on here and on the net in genral it would appear that there are some issues with the kit, most of which can be corrected with some mods and scratchbuilding, however it would appear the turrets are way off?

Obviously the answer for an upgrade set is the Lion Roar set which covers all issues as far as I can see, but this set is now unavailable so here's my question...

Which of the etch sets available today is the best? Where can I get some of the corrected resin turrets and metal barrels?

Thanks in anticipation of many answers...

[Timmy C]

WEM sells the corrected turrets. PE set from them also available.

[HMS Hood Fan]

Hi Nigel, as stated, White Ensign Models do the resin upgrade turrets with accessories. They have gun upgrades and the PE sets.

Here is the turrets
https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/WEM ... QRYovJWqbA

Here are the photo etch
https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/WEM ... QRZqfJWqbA
https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/Gol ... QRZvfJWqbA
https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/Gol ... QRZ5vJWqbA

Hope this helps buddy.

[HMS Hood Fan]

Just out of interest, has anybody ever built the 1/1200 HMS Hood that was released in the "Sink the Bismarck" set?

I recently found I have one and just chanced asking for any information?

[Guest]

Team,
I wonder if any of the experts can help. I have seen ladders on the HOOD's 15" turrets in some depictions, but not consistently. It seems unlikely that there was not an external ladder to B turret for the UP crew and the usual references indicate there are ladders at the rear of A/Y turrets below the hatch. Clearly this would not work for B/X because of the overhang. Does any one know if there were ladders to all turrets, or have photos showing ladders to access the turret roofs?

Many thanks

[EJFoeth]

There's a ladder on the front of B turret between the guns and similarly for X-turret, to the left of the guns and left sightport. A ladder was initially installed on the back of B-turret, slight off center, with a ladder suspended from the turret's bottom plate. It was removed while HMS Hood carried the aircraft platform on B-turret and was certainly gone prior to installing the UP launcher platform. A rope ladder is sometimes suspended from B-turret though. X-turret's roof could also be accesses by a small walkway from the boatdeck (also in 1941). I cannot see a ladder on the rear of X-turret from Hood's moment of construction to late in her career.

[Guest]

There's a ladder on the front of B turret between the guns and similarly for X-turret, to the left of the guns and left sightport. A ladder was initially installed on the back of B-turret, slight off center, with a ladder suspended from the turret's bottom plate. It was removed while HMS Hood carried the aircraft platform on B-turret and was certainly gone prior to installing the UP launcher platform. A rope ladder is sometimes suspended from B-turret though. X-turret's roof could also be accesses by a small walkway from the boatdeck (also in 1941). I cannot see a ladder on the rear of X-turret from Hood's moment of construction to late in her career.

Mr Foeth,

Very many thanks for your prompt and authoritative response - I have been seeking the answer to this for weeks on the web and with reference books.

Might I trouble your patience with a further question please. I am trying (after a 45 year break from model ship building) to construct the Mighty Hood as she would appear on the early morning of 24 May 1941, in rough weather and at action stations. I understand from the Hood association website that the 4 quarterdeck and 2 fo'c'sle ladders would be dismantled and stowed, which is a shame since they add detail. There is, however, a structure (kit part F12) proud of the hull amidships, extending vertically from the battery to the boot topping, and I can't fathom what it is! To me it looks a bit like the gash shute ships would put out to protect the paintwork from tipping rubbish before these more eco-friendly days, but surely that cannot be the case. It is present in many pictures, but not all as far as I can tell. Can you tell me what it is, and more importantly, whether it should be there with the ship going into action in these conditions please? May I add what an inspiration your work is - and others at this website - but it makes one realise how limited my abilities are in comparison!

[EJFoeth]

The quarterdeck and forecastle ladders were indeed stored when at sea; I have the support racks as parts but not the ladders. This should make for a nice change? The embarkation ladders are also nowhere to be seen, so I suppose they were stored inside as well.

I don't have the kit so I don't really know which part is F12, but the part to the side of the hull just below the fwd pompom looks a lit like the gash chute to me. If you look at this video around 35s you see the same 'chamferred' structure. I modeled this part with that hatch on my model exactly like it (barely visible or not ). This structure is built onto the amour plating, so what else could it be? It was brought down to the waterline later. I have no pictures without it and you can see it on pictures of HMS Hood enroute to the denmarck straight (well, you can see spray from a wave that hits it)

[Guest]

Mr Foeth,

Many thanks again for taking such trouble in answering so swiftly and in such detail my ill informed query. The "spray photo" and video link of the PoW also makes the function and permanence clear. My experience of gash shutes was that they were over the stern and of flimsy sheet metal construction that, fitted abeam, wouldn't have stood up to the Atlantic gales that Hood encountered on route to her final battle. I hope it has been useful to other modellers to learn the answer to these questions as your responses have been so complete and undeniably accurate. Not withstanding that, I will not replicate your microscopic construction skill in modelling the hinges at the top hatch, but I will attach the shutes! Now back to making duffle coats for the L'arsenal crew!

Thanks again

Richard

[EJFoeth]

You're welcome! Naturally, I bumped into the same structure and spent some time finding a good photograph. I should have checked my 'belowdecks' images (I copied images into 63 themed subdirectories for easy finding ). You can see the hatch opened and the chute aboard Prince of Wales footage looks the same. At least "something" should be present inboard of that bulwark.

[EJFoeth]

Noticed on an official drawing it's called a refuse chute.

[Rodger Cole]

Hi all. I'm a long time lurker, first time poster with a question about HMS Hood. I'm building the Trumpeter 1/350 kit and I have no idea what the two plates are on top of X turret. Warship Pictorial #20 also show them but doesn't mention their function. I found one reference on this site to "floor plates" but apparently these are on the bottom of X and Y turrets, not the roof of X only.

I've already put them on X turret but I was just wondering what they were for.

Thanks in advance.

Rodger