A 16-inch H-39 could have entered service late and likely overweight, rather than at its nominal displacement. By then Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States would each field or plan comparable capital-ship power. Opponents could answer Germany's two ships with several comparable or better hulls, including designs already building. Fleet comparison is the useful measure: numbers, protection, speed, and support matter more than the appearance of one imposing ship.
Notable Point · 43:23-46:21
H-39 as the practical German limit
H-39 is presented as the largest H-class design Germany could plausibly bring into service, but not as a ship able to overturn fleet balance by itself.
Battleship DesignCapital ShipsFleet BalanceH-39 Class BattleshipsHMS VanguardIowa Class BattleshipsKing George V Class Battleships (1939)KriegsmarineLion Class BattleshipsLittorio Class BattleshipsNaval ArmourNaval ProcurementRichelieu Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyShip DisplacementYamato Class Battleships