Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:30:35-4:31:43

An F3-influenced King George V with 15-inch guns

Removing the 14-inch requirement could produce a faster King George V derivative with nine 15-inch guns in simpler triple turrets.

BattleshipsF3 DesignKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Naval Gunnery
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Question

How might the King George V class change if it drew on the F3 design and had no 14-inch-gun requirement?

Short answer

It could become a 30- to 32-knot ship with nine 15-inch guns, similar protection, and simpler triple turrets.

Notes

The answer sketches a 30- to 32-knot ship using an F3-style arrangement, contemporary machinery, and nine 15-inch guns. Protection could remain broadly comparable to the historical King George V class, while triple turrets would be easier to develop and introduce than quadruple mountings. The result would be a formidable fast battleship with a potentially smoother construction program.