Hood is often thought of as a postwar ship, but her original design was complete and construction had begun before Jutland. Changes after the battle increased protection, continuing revisions that were already under way. Her combination of high speed, eight 15-inch guns, and protection comparable with Queen Elizabeth shows what British designers were pursuing in late 1915 and early 1916. A proposed response to the German paper battleships takes that lineage and adds heavier armour, accepting a fall in speed. Replacing the 15-inch turrets with 16.5-inch weapons is then estimated to leave a ship of about 28 knots with a heavier inclined belt. Stronger internal structure and subdivision would be required to carry the additions, so this remains a proposed derivative rather than a specification for the historical Hood.
Notable Point · 32:48-35:10
Hood's wartime design could underpin a heavier British response
Hood's pre-Jutland origins provide a second starting point for a proposed battleship with heavier armour and 16.5-inch guns.