There is far more to a warship than the actual battles it participated in. The Hood was a very powerful diplomatic tool to the RN, so powerful that this very type of mission kept her away from her mid-life refit which would have saved her. And I agree with adding HMS Warrior to the list, if we go back to the 1800's.

"There is far more to a warship than the actual battles it participated in." Must be my engineering training where I don't see this. If a tool doesn't do the job well, I don't much care if it is well regarded or pretty. buzzard

"If a tool doesn't do the job well" But - the Hood did do her job well. As I have said, she was an outstanding diplomatic tool in the inter-war years. As for a combat ship, she was highly capable also, being fast and very well armed for a Battlecruiser. She should never have been pitched against a Battleship any more than a heavy cruiser should, while even in this regard her armour thickness wasn't to be sneered at - it came close to some Battleships. Her downfall was in her diplomatic work causing for her to miss a vital mid-life refit (similar to HMS Renowns), which was to have included armour re-positioning, and likely saved her the unfortunate flash-back she incurred.

I love the smell of popcorn in the morning! It smells, it smells like "Another top ten list" ;)

I seem to have entered a strange parallel universe where HMS Victory isn't the most historically significant warship of all time, the worlds oldest commissioned warship, in her time the largest first rate warship in the RN and also flagship of Englands greatest hero. Obviously number one on most peoples list on my planet. Did I forget to mention Trafalgar?

If you're going back that far you would have to include the 44 gun frigates of the US Navy (Constitution, United States, etc). The Royal Navy frigate captains had orders from the admiralty not to engage them one on one.

"The Royal Navy frigate captains had orders from the admiralty not to engage them one on one." Because what the US classified as frigates were larger and had more numerous guns than what the RN classified as frigates. But yeah, HMS Victory should be there, but that would mean going back to the 1700's.

The US Frigates were larger than the British frigates, however they were also faster and more manouverable. When Nelson saw one for the first time in the Med, he knew they were going to be trouble if the US and the British Empire ever came to blows.

While the large battleships and aircraft carriers were unmatched for thier firepower and reputation and very well earned their place on that top ten list as far as "sexy" goes, where would the world be without the ugly litte Corvette's of WWII. And if it was not for the scare caused by the U-boats the corvettes would not have been needed.

I mostly side with Albany's list on this one. I would like to push in no 5, which he seems to have missed: Thetis class of the Danish Navy they and their predecessors have kept watch in those dark and icy cold waters of the Arctic since WW2. The greatest danger is not the enemy but the ocean, where overicing can sink a ship in minutes - and no help is available. No Battleships would ever be found on my list: They were so hugely expensive, that they were useless, most of them sailed like limb cows, some were atrociously constructed (Delaware class for all that claim US weapons are the best in the world - not that some aren't good). Due to their very conspiciousness they probably provoked more than they served. Neither should anything out a russian yard be used for anything but accomodation in the Arctic for the criminally insane. Swedish yards do occationally make passable ships, which sail and fight very well - provided they are stolen and manned by norwegeans or danes. I would say the "fish" subs of the USnavy WW2 deserves more than an honourable mentioning.