"Unmatched for elegance and unequalled for size, for twenty years the battlecruiser Hood was the glory of the Royal Navy, flying the flag across the world in the twilight years of the British empire." "Here - in words, photographs and colour illustrations - is the story of her life and her people, from keel-laying on the Clyde in 1916 to her terrible destruction at the hands of the Bismarck in 1941. Drawing on official documents as well as letters, diaries, memoirs and reminiscences of over 150 crewmen The Battlecruiser HMS Hood is the most comprehensive study of a modern warship ever undertaken and a seminal work in the field of twentieth-century navall history." "Among many rare and eye-catching photos are unique stills from a recently discovered colour film of the Hood in 1939-40. These, together with a spectacular set of computer-generated images of both the exterior and interior of the ship from one of the leading exponents of the art, provide an unprecendented range and depth of visual treatment. Along with a wealth of new information on her structure and operation, these features make the book essential reading for the enthusiast, modeller and historian alike."--BOOK JACKET.