Q&A ยท 9:29-11:04

HMS Hood's reconditioned engines in 1941

Hood's machinery could provide the required power after reconditioning while remaining an old installation vulnerable to further wartime wear.

Question

Were HMS Hood's engines back to full power after her last refit, or were they worn out by 1940-41?

Short answer

The engines had been reconditioned into good working order, but they were old machinery worked hard through months of war rather than a new installation.

Notes

Hood's last refit restored her existing machinery to good working order and supplied the power she needed. By 1941, months of hard wartime service had added wear to an already old plant. Replacement machinery was being held for the major refit planned for 1941, when substantial work on the hull would make renewal practical. The comparison with Type 45 machinery work illustrates why restoring a power plant and replacing it are different stages in a warship's upkeep.