The final F3 study may have crossed the design spectrum far enough to become the world's first fast battleship. A reasonable estimate is roughly 29 knots rather than 30, with enough protection and subdivision to preserve a battleship balance. That speed would still make many contemporary opponents struggle to disengage, especially when paired with a proposed 15-inch/50-caliber gun. The judgment remains partly counterfactual because the design never entered service and its hydrodynamic performance cannot be demonstrated by trials.
Notable Point · 1:34:49-1:37:26
Could the F3 have been the first fast battleship?
Later research supports treating the final F3 study as a plausible 28-29-knot fast battleship rather than another battlecruiser.