Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:53:40-1:54:18

German design committees and the Hipper-Baltimore comparison

A comparison between Hipper and Baltimore introduces the argument that ship design suffers when nobody can reject additional requirements.

Admiral Hipper Class CruisersBaltimore Class Heavy CruisersDesign ManagementGerman Battleship BismarckNaval ArchitectureWarship Design
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Question

Could Bismarck's internal arrangements be improved?

Short answer

Yes. Considerable rearrangement is considered possible, while the comparison with Baltimore links inefficient German designs to committees accumulating requirements that nobody could reject.

Notes

Bismarck's internal arrangements are considered open to substantial improvement. Increasing numbers of design committees are proposed as one explanation for inefficient German warships. The comparison concerns what the Baltimore and Admiral Hipper classes deliver in protection, firepower, speed and range. Individually attractive ideas can accumulate without an effective authority to reject them, leaving the finished ship less efficient.