-History of H.M.S. Hood-
Realistic "First Sighting" Distances for the Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
Updated 07-May-2014

This is a listing of approximate physical height measurements of the main combatants in the Battle of the Denmark Strait. These measurements can help determine the distances at which each of the battle participants would have first visually sighted each other on 24 May 1941. Please note that factors such as time of day, sea conditions, weather, human fatigue and experience need to be taken into consideration as part of any such exercise.

Hood

• Height of Control Top windows: 34.5m / 113ft
• Height to top of Control Top Radar Director Hood: 38m / 124ft
• Height to Main Gunnery Director Lenses (Atop Conning Tower): 20m / 65.5ft
• Height to top of Main Mast: 48.7m / 160ft
• Height to Main Mast Starfish: 28m / 92ft

Prince of Wales (PofW)

• Height to top of Main Mast: 44m / 144ft
• Height to Main Mast Starfish: 29m / 95ft
• Height to Main Gunnery Director Lenses: 25m / 82ft
• Height to Crow's Nest: 34m / 111.5ft
• Height to Yard Arm on Forward Mast: 41m / 134.5ft

Bismarck (BS)

• Height to Main Gunnery Director Lenses: 32m / 105ft
• Height to top of Main Gunnery Director: 33.5m / 110ft
• Height to top of Forward Mast: 42m / 138ft
• Height to top of Main Mast: 50m / 164ft
• Height to Cross Tree on Rear of Main Mast: 39m / 128ft

Prinz Eugen (PG)

• Height to Main Gunnery Director Lenses: 29m / 95ft
• Height to Observation Post on top of Main Gunnery Director: 31.5m / 103ft
• Height to top of Forward Mast: 41m / 134.5
• Height to top of Main Mast: 50m / 164ft
• Height to Mid Platform on Rear of Main Mast: 27m / 88.5ft

Calculations for Sighting Distance (per ONI204, US Navy Range Table, Sept. 1942 - courtesy of Bill Jurens)

• Hood to Bismarck= 48,290 yds (from Control Top Observation Windows to Gunnery Director atop Vormars & vice versa)
• PofW to Bismarck= 48,190 yds (from PofW's Crows Nest to Bismarck's Main Director & vice versa)
• PofW to PG= 47,960 yds (from PofW's Crow's Nest to PG's Observation Post atop the main director)

When determining realistic sighting ranges, one must also factor in visibility, which is affected by things such as weather conditions and light levels. These factors would quite probably reduce the realistic range somewhat. Based on the known conditions of 24 May 1941, we estimate that maximum visibility would have been around 20NM.