Tiger's 13.5-inch guns fit the same capital-ship environment as the contemporary Iron Duke and Queen Elizabeth programmes. The weapon was already standard among Britain's latest battleships. Tiger remained a battlecruiser, while the Queen Elizabeths were fast battleships. Her machinery, served by 39 water-tube boilers, produced 85,000 shaft horsepower for a top speed of 28 knots, and the spacing around the after guns left useful room. Her belt resembled those of other British battlecruisers because the design placed speed and firepower ahead of armour. This balance defined both her tactical promise and the limits of what such ships could safely do in fleet action.
Chapter · 0:40-2:42
HMS Tiger and the battlecruiser trade-off
HMS Tiger shows how British battlecruisers pursued heavy guns and 28-knot speed while accepting less protection than a battleship.
13.5-inch GunsBattlecruisersCapital Ship DesignCapital ShipsDogger BankHMS Tiger (1913)Iron Duke Class BattleshipsKing George V Class Battleships (1911)Naval GunneryNaval PropulsionQueen Elizabeth Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyShip DesignShip SpeedSpeed Armour Firepower TradeoffWarship ArmourWater Tube Boilers