What would happen if the proposed twenty-four-diesel, six-shaft Japanese battleship plant were used?
Short answerIt might be efficient, but no reliable performance estimate is possible until the designers choose and solve the complex geared or electric transmission.
NotesThe proposal combines four large diesel engines on each of six shafts for roughly 182,000 horsepower. Direct geared drive would require a highly complex gearbox able to couple several engines reliably to each shaft. Turbo-electric-style transmission could change the layout, but would introduce a different set of weight and efficiency questions. Without a settled gearbox design, any speed or endurance estimate remains speculative because the machinery architecture determines whether the paper power can reach the propellers effectively.