Q&A · 16:11-18:59

Why Dreadnought did not use superfiring turrets

Jacky Fisher's lingering objections, rather than an unsolved general engineering barrier, kept superfiring turrets off Dreadnought.

Question

How would Britain have overcome the issues that initially discouraged superfiring turrets?

Short answer

The problems were already largely solved; later turret designs addressed blast vulnerability, while Fisher's personal resistance was the central obstacle.

Notes

The underlying engineering objections to superfiring had largely been resolved by the time Dreadnought was designed. Jacky Fisher nevertheless continued to judge the arrangement through problems associated with much earlier turret designs. British crews also avoided firing over a lower turret in peacetime because blast could damage viewing ports and other expensive fittings. In combat, that risk could be accepted, and later 13.5- and 15-inch turret designs improved the arrangement further. Fisher's personal caution mattered more than any universal technical barrier.