Q&A · 1:12:12-1:13:26

An F3-style Nelson under a 42,000-ton treaty limit

A higher treaty limit could have produced a much faster Nelson-type battleship while retaining 16-inch guns and strong protection.

Question

What might the Nelson class have looked like as an F3 design under a 42,000-ton treaty limit?

Short answer

A four-shaft, 16-inch-gun ship capable of roughly 32-33 knots while retaining Nelson-level armour is plausible in the estimate.

Notes

The proposal starts from the F3 layout and the 16-inch maximum allowed by the hypothetical treaty. Extra displacement would permit the roomier G3-derived turret design and make later changes to ammunition or guns easier. Much of the additional tonnage would go to a four-shaft machinery plant. The result could be a roughly 32- or 33-knot ship with protection comparable to Nelson and Rodney, turning the concept into a fast capital ship rather than the historical slow battleship.