HMS Hood, 2 what if scenarios

  Assuming the decline in construction resources a new BB or well armoured BB would take 2-3 years from start to finish, presumably not delayed by war as the last two KGV class were.  Technically the RN definition for the KGV class was as fully armoured battlecruisers, which seems to be the term the RN used for fast BCs. 

  If they did this in the late 30's they probably wouldn't use anything from the Hood simply because it was too valuable a ship to be withdrawn from use.  You could have something like an earlier or more numerous Vanguard project, with new ships using old 15" twin turrets then they would 1st use the old turrets in reserve then those from the less valuable old R class and possibly the Queens before they touched those on the Hood. - If your not familiar with it see HMS Vanguard for more details.  The idea was that using modernised 15" turrets held in reserve to speed up producing new ships as turrets and their guns were a major bottleneck in construction but due to assorted delays the ship only entered service after the war.  I have seen suggestions that there were plans for a number of such ships using other turrets, largely from the 5 R class old BBs as they were withdrawn from service but how likely that would be I can'tb say.

  Steve

  Yes it sounded quite interesting.  Not sure if a revamped Hood is better than a new Vanguard although both have limited application in the post-war world and if she was deployed to the Far East she could end up getting badly damaged there.  Which could render it a moot point.  On the other hand a modernised Hood would probably be cheaper than a Vanguard and a large CV on a Vangard hull, if the decision was taken early enough could be a very useful asset. 

  If Hood was reconstructed as described and survived the war I suspect its swansong would be Suez or a similar event rather than any Falklands conflict.  Can't really see a ship 1st laid down in 1916 still being in service in 1982.

  Given the economic plight of Britain after WWII I fear that would be doubtful.  Especially if she avoided the OTL damage in the Med I would have preferred Warspite because of her record but can't see any of the big ships surviving as museum ships without drastic changes.  Even then she wouldn't have a swansong in the Falklands.

  You mean being scrapped a few years later.  I fear it would be the case, unless Britain has a markedly more successful post WWII period.

  Its unlikely but some butterfly from later in the war could make a difference.  Especially with effects later on such as no Korean war.  That really screwed over Britain which had spent 5 years post war to rescue its economic position and meet US demands and went through a very grim period.  Just about getting on its feet again when the communist attack in Korean mean a massive increase in military spending that plummeted the economy again.