Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:17:47-1:19:48

The F2 roots and limited value of the paper ship HMS Defiance

The six-gun, 28-knot Defiance is traced to a modified F2 concept and judged possible but inferior to better 1939 emergency options.

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Question

Was the six-gun HMS Defiance based on an unused design, and would it have been useful if built?

Short answer

It resembles a modified F2 and could serve as an emergency small-yard build, but Britain had better options.

Notes

The World of Warships Legends design appears to be based on a modified F2 battlecruiser rather than an entirely invented layout. Its principal change is the use of six 14-inch guns in place of the original larger weapons. Such a ship could be built as a compact emergency capital unit if Britain needed to use a smaller yard in 1939. It would still be merely adequate because more effective designs were available for the same strategic problem.