Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:00:44

G3 turret layout and the problem with wing turrets

Buried aft turrets created firing limits, while later N3 and F3 arrangements suggest that G3 layouts might have evolved before completion.

G3 Class BattlecruisersNaval GunneryTurretsWarship Design
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Was there a worse turret layout than the G3's?

Short answer

The G3 had real issues, especially its aft-gun arrangement, but wing turrets are a major efficiency problem because they can deny part of the battery on a broadside.

Notes

The N3 and G3 layouts were not necessarily fixed endpoints. An N3 might have moved toward the arrangement used by Nelson and Rodney, while a G3 could have evolved toward an F3-like stepped layout. A deeply buried aft turret creates firing limitations because of the surrounding structure. Wing turrets are also inefficient when a nominal six-gun battery can bring only four guns to bear on a broadside.