What might the Nelson class have looked like as an F3 design under a 42,000-ton treaty limit?
Short answerA four-shaft, 16-inch-gun ship capable of roughly 32-33 knots while retaining Nelson-level armour is plausible in the estimate.
NotesThe 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.