Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 58:14-58:36

Eight 18-inch guns would turn a Queen Elizabeth enlargement into a Hood-size ship

High speed and four twin 18-inch turrets would demand a Hood-size hull rather than an expanded Queen Elizabeth.

Alternate HistoryNaval GunneryQueen Elizabeth Class BattleshipsShip Design
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Question

How much displacement would a 28-knot Queen Elizabeth-derived battleship need to carry four twin 18-inch turrets?

Short answer

The required ship would approach HMS Hood in size rather than remain a simple enlargement of the Queen Elizabeth class.

Notes

Four twin 18-inch turrets impose far more than the weight of the barrels alone. A 28-knot ship must also carry the machinery and hull volume needed to move and support that armament. Those requirements place the concept near HMS Hood in scale. What begins as an enlargement of the Queen Elizabeth design quickly becomes a different class of warship.