Q&A ยท 1:04:51-1:05:26

If Hood survived the Denmark Strait hit

A badly damaged but still fighting Hood could help force Bismarck to disengage and would then require a major reconstruction.

Question

What happens if Hood takes the Denmark Strait hit but avoids the fatal magazine explosion?

Short answer

She probably slows sharply but keeps fighting, encourages Bismarck to disengage, and survives for a major British or American rebuild.

Notes

The counterfactual assumes Hood avoids the catastrophic magazine explosion after taking the historical hit. She would probably lose considerable speed but might continue firing alongside Prince of Wales. That continuing resistance could encourage the German force to pull Bismarck away rather than press the action. Hood would then return for a major refit or travel to the United States for reconstruction, much as Rodney was already expected to do.