Older warships could wear out their machinery while their hulls still had potential service left. Large machinery beneath armour complicated engine rebuilding, even on oil-fired ships. Modern gas turbines are comparatively compact and benefit from better metallurgy. More complete combustion also reduces the deposits that shorten machinery life. These differences make a simple comparison of ship ages misleading.
Notable Point · 18:18-20:13
Machinery access and combustion quality shaped warship service life
Engine wear, difficult access beneath armour, and dirty combustion help explain the shorter useful lives of early twentieth-century warships.