The conning tower’s armour ranged from twelve inches to two inches depending on location. In Benbow’s period, ships were expected to close the range and face substantial medium-calibre fire, so a protected command position had a clear purpose against six-inch shells. That reasoning becomes less persuasive for later all-big-gun combat, where the tower’s weight and constraints are harder to justify. The comparison connects an armour specification to changing battle ranges and ideas about command survival.
Notable Point · 11:46-12:18
Why Benbow’s conning tower still had a clear purpose
Close battle ranges and six-inch gunfire make protected command positions more persuasive on Benbow than on later all-big-gun ships.