Trumpeter 1/700 HMS Hood Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The HMS Hood was to be the first of four new-generation battlecruisers designed around the first world war. During the construction of the Hood, designers recognized a vulnerability in the design and the remaining three members of the class were cancelled. Launched in 1918, the HMS Hood commenced sea trials in 1920.

During the quiet between the wars, HMS Hood would depart UK waters for a deployment that would visit allies and patrol lines of communication of interest to the Royal Navy. It was in the middle of one of these cruises in 1939 when HMS Hood was brought back from Scapa Flow to rendezvous with HMS Renown and HMS Repulse and patrol the waters between Iceland and Faeroes and block Kriegsmarine attempts to enter the Atlantic.

In July 1940, HMS Hood was part of Force H, a battle group that did what the Royal Navy had dreamed of doing a few hundred years earlier - sailed within gun range of key French ports and destroyed the French Navy at anchor.

In May 1941, HMS Hood was part of that fateful engagement to hunt down the German cruiser Prinz Eugen and the battleship Bismarck. On the 23rd, HMS Suffolk spotted the two German vessels running through the Denmark Strait. On the following day, HMS Hood, along with the HMS Prince of Wales and an array of destroyers, engaged the two German ships. At 0600, Hood was sunk following a catastrophic explosion caused by a penetrating hit from Bismarck. Of the 1,418 officers and men aboard, only three survived the sudden devastating explosion.

Trumpeter has rendered another first - the first 'modern' 1/700 styrene kit of HMS Hood. Based on the extensive research they applied to their 1/350 scale offering ( look here), this kit has captured the Hood very nicely. Tamiya has had their own release of the Hood on the streets for a few decades, but this kit is definitely a beauty.

As with the other kits in Trumpeter's 1/700 scale lineup, this kit is molded in light gray styrene, with the exception of the lower hull or waterline plate, both of which are molded in red. The kit is comprised of 429 parts on eight parts trees, plus four sections of deck and the main hull.

Detailing of the kit is nicely done, and assembly of the superstructure is laid out in such a way to make painting a little easier as well. There are lots of tiny parts with all of the vents, ladders, platforms, etc., that made up this ship.

As with every kit in this series, Trumpeter provides you with your choice of full-hull or waterline lower hull. If you opt for the full-hull option, a display stand is included as are the necessary rudder and propulsion parts for under the stern. A display placard with the ship's identity is also included.

Construction appears to be straightforward, though there are loads of tiny parts that must be carefully assembled and painted before moving on. The instructions are well done for this project as they break the job down to manageable steps.

I wouldn't be surprised to see someone like White Ensign Models release photo-etch to replace the ladders and provide the railings and antennas that would also set this project up to the next level of beauty.

If you're a World War II Royal Navy modeler, this will look great with the wide variety of waterline and full-hull kits in this scale.

My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample!

References:

• HMS Hood Association