The Mackensen-class battlecruisers were designed with eight 13.8-inch guns, a speed of 28 knots, and a range of 8,000 nautical miles at 14 knots. Four geared turbines supplied 88,769 shaft horsepower from 32 boilers. On paper, the class had a slight gun-calibre advantage over contemporary British battlecruisers, along with strong range and speed. Yet unfinished hulls were the closest Germany came to realizing the design. The gap between the specification and an operational ship introduces the episode's recurring question of industrial capacity.
Chapter · 0:25-2:05
Mackensen's specifications versus a paper fleet
Mackensen's larger guns, 28-knot speed, long range, and geared turbines looked formidable, but a design that never leaves the stocks is not yet naval power.