How might German planning and later British battleships change if the Royal Navy built the F3 design instead of Nelson and Rodney?
Short answerA sustained 15-inch/50 production line and an existing triple turret could make later British battleships with nine 15-inch guns more attractive than a new 14-inch armament.
NotesF3 envisaged a ship capable of more than 28 knots with a powerful 15-inch/50 gun. That longer weapon would favor long-range fire while requiring more barrel maintenance. If existing British 15-inch ships adopted it too, the Royal Navy would enter later design decisions with an established production line. A nine-gun King George V design using an available triple turret would then become a plausible alternative to the historical 14-inch armament.