Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:19:56-4:20:54

A Lyon-class battleship with the Free French

Lyon's sixteen guns and projected 21-knot speed are compared with Lorraine in a Free French counterfactual.

BattleshipsFrench NavyLive Q&ANaval ArchitectureWorld War II
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Question

How much more useful would a Lyon-class battleship be to the Free French than Lorraine?

Short answer

Only a modest improvement is expected, with sixteen guns and some extra prestige but a projected speed of just 21 knots.

Notes

A completed Lyon-class battleship would give the Free French sixteen 13.4-inch guns, but its projected speed is only 21 knots. The judgment is that it would offer little practical improvement over Lorraine. Its larger armament and appearance might bring slightly greater prestige without transforming the fleet's usefulness.