Hood was laid down during World War 1. The original design was to be another battle cruiser like the three that sank at the battle of Jutland. After Jutland the British decided that Hood needed more armor, perhaps 6 inches more of armor plate. When launched a couple of years after the end of World War 1 ( 1920 ) Hood was very big, and very good looking. She became the Royal Navy’s “show off ship”. She visited everywhere during the 1920s and 1930s. Everyone agreed that Hood was very impressive and by extension the Royal Navy was made to seem good and strong.
In 1940 Hood and Prince of Wales were ordered to intercept Bismark in the Denmark Strait in between Greenland and Iceland, far from England. They encountered Bismark in the strait and after a few salvos Bismark landed a hit on Hoods after deck and it went right thru the deck armor and exploded below. The tremendous explosion sank Hood in a few minutes. After Hood sank the Prince of Wales was simply not ready for combat, she still had yard workmen on board working on her guns, and the crew was brand new and green and not prepared to fight Prince of Wales. She got a few shots off, no hits, and Bismark just steamed past her.
After Hood was lost no other Navy built battlecruisers.
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