One proposal would have extended the hull and shifted A and B mounts farther forward so that they could cover more of the after arcs. The idea reveals how much the three-mount arrangement depended on hull geometry rather than simply weapon choice. A separate weight-saving suggestion called for reducing deck heights. That proposal was not adopted, leaving the ship's internal height intact while an auxiliary close-range blind-fire director strengthened the after fire-control fit.
Notable Point · 13:27-15:02
Rejected changes to gun arcs and deck height
Designers considered lengthening the bow to improve the forward battery's all-round arcs and separately rejected lower deck heights as a way to save weight.