He219
05-24-2004, 07:51 PM
May 24, 1941: HMS Hood Sunk (http://news.mod.uk/news/press/news_headline_story.asp?newsItem_id=1728)
The newly completed battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Hood intercepted the German battleship Bismarck and her consort, the cruiser Prinz Eugen, in the Denmark Straits. The two German ships attempted to evade, but the ships were well matched in speed and the British enjoyed a slight positional advantage which allowed them to close the range. Hood opened fire on Prinz Eugen, the leading ship, at 0552 at about 25,000 yards range, whilst Prince of Wales engaged Bismarck. As the range closed, the German ships responded, and Prinz Eugen hit Hood, causing a fire amongst anti-aircraft ammunition lockers on the upper decks. At about 0600, Bismarck's fifth salvo struck Hood, and she exploded in a vast sheet of flame. Of her crew of 1,419, only three survived. Prince of Wales continued the fight alone, but at 0609, Captain Leach decided to break off the engagement: both sides were trading hits, but Prince of Wales seemed to be suffering more, and, with Royal Navy reinforcements headed for the scene, there was no advantage to be gained from further risking the ship.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2003/03/images_bismarck/bismarck_01.jpg
Bismarck in action against HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941.
http://www.voodoo.cz/hood/pics/h06.jpg
The newly completed battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Hood intercepted the German battleship Bismarck and her consort, the cruiser Prinz Eugen, in the Denmark Straits. The two German ships attempted to evade, but the ships were well matched in speed and the British enjoyed a slight positional advantage which allowed them to close the range. Hood opened fire on Prinz Eugen, the leading ship, at 0552 at about 25,000 yards range, whilst Prince of Wales engaged Bismarck. As the range closed, the German ships responded, and Prinz Eugen hit Hood, causing a fire amongst anti-aircraft ammunition lockers on the upper decks. At about 0600, Bismarck's fifth salvo struck Hood, and she exploded in a vast sheet of flame. Of her crew of 1,419, only three survived. Prince of Wales continued the fight alone, but at 0609, Captain Leach decided to break off the engagement: both sides were trading hits, but Prince of Wales seemed to be suffering more, and, with Royal Navy reinforcements headed for the scene, there was no advantage to be gained from further risking the ship.
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2003/03/images_bismarck/bismarck_01.jpg
Bismarck in action against HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941.
http://www.voodoo.cz/hood/pics/h06.jpg