Could King George V carry 15-inch guns?

Could the King George V design use 15-inch/42 guns, and would that force a much smaller turret layout?

The proposed 3-1-3 battery would have a poor firing pattern; 3-2-3 is considered plausible, and the historical alternative used three triple 15-inch turrets.

A 3-1-3 battery would create a poor firing pattern and fire-control arrangement. The difference between a 14-inch/45 and a 15-inch/42 gun is small enough that a 3-2-3 layout is considered plausible, and even a cramped 4-2-4 is raised tentatively. Reworking the turret faces and gun openings would still be necessary. Recoil stroke is another constraint, though the difference is recalled as small rather than established with measurements. A later clarification identifies the historical nine-gun 15-inch option as three triple turrets.