Hull number (for construction): 460
Callsign: GECV
Pendant number: 51
Nicknames:
Public Nickname: The "Mighty Hood"
Crew Nickname(s): There were several...some of which were not particularly flattering! We'll list just the most common ones here:
- "The Seven Bs" ("Britain's Biggest Bullsh*ttingest B*stard Built By Brown")
- "H.M.S. Wobbly" (or variations thereof)
- "Largest Submarine in the Fleet"
Original construction cost was £6,025,000 (of which John Brown & Company, Ltd, reportedly made £214,108.00)
Built on Number 3 slip at John Brown & Company, Lt. Clydebank
One of the few ships that possessed her own chapel and the first to have a chapel incorporated into the original design
380 telephones at the time of her loss
3,874 electric light fittings (per late 1930s information)
Nearly 200 miles of permanent electric cable (weighing 100 tons)
General provisions for 4 months amounted to 320 tons, including one month's fresh meat
Breakfast consisted of 100 gallons of tea, four sides of bacon, 300 Ibs of tomatoes, 600 Ibs bread, 75 Ibs of butter
Monthly payroll was approximately £6,000
Fuel consumption at full speed was 3 yards to the gallon
Three times around the ships was one mile
Longest warship completed for Royal Navy until creation of Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier (2017)
You can read more basic facts about the ship here (1930s pamphlet about the ship)