Choosing a World War II fleet by ship type

If only one World War II class could be chosen for each warship type, which classes would make the fleet?

The selections lean toward Battle-class destroyers, Towns, Malta, T-class submarines, and Hellcats, with each choice reflecting a different operational preference.

The preferred mix includes Battle-class destroyers, Town-class light cruisers, a Malta-class carrier concept, T-class submarines, and Hellcats among the aircraft choices. Heavy cruisers produce a harder choice between Italian and American designs, while the battleship selection avoids relying entirely on unbuilt concepts. This deliberately subjective fleet-design exercise exposes the trade-offs between protection, armament, aircraft operations, and endurance. The best vessel in one category depends on how the whole force is expected to fight.