Q&A · 38:26-46:07

Estimating the scale of King George V's funnels

Reduced warship plans produce provisional estimates for King George V's oval funnels and show why printed scales and differences between sister ships complicate measurement.

Question

What were the approximate dimensions of a King George V-class battleship's funnels?

Short answer

The provisional estimate is about fifteen feet along the longer dimension and roughly half that across, but reduced plans and differences between ships prevent a confirmed answer.

Notes

The plans show oval funnels, with a working estimate of about fifteen feet along the longer dimension and about half that across. One estimate is qualified by roughly a foot either way, while a separate visual comparison suggests about two-thirds the diameter of a twin-turret barbette. These estimates come from reduced illustrations, and Howe's funnel dimensions are noted as different from King George V's. Bulkhead spacing and the stated 750-foot overall ship length help reconstruct a scale. A printed scale cannot be applied directly after the drawing has been reduced for a book. Exact dimensions remain unresolved, and the question is left open for further checking.