Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:40:37-2:41:03

How a wider Panama Canal could change battleship hulls

A wider canal could have allowed U.S. battleships with broader, more conventional hull proportions.

Battleship DesignPanama CanalUS Navy
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Question

How would the U.S. battle fleet look if the Panama Canal had been built to modern Neopanamax dimensions?

Short answer

Its ships could have been broader and more conventionally proportioned, closer in hull shape to King George V than Iowa.

Notes

A larger Panama Canal would have allowed broader American battleship hulls in this counterfactual. Their shape could have been closer to King George V than Iowa. This concerns hull proportions, without specifying changes to weapons, protection or speed.