The naval counterfactual turns from organization to weapons. Mark V and related tanks carried six-pounder, or 57 mm, guns, a calibre already familiar to the Royal Navy. While the project remained under naval control, designers considered a central turret with a larger gun as an alternative to side turrets or sponsons. A mixed arrangement with both a larger central weapon and side guns was another possibility raised in the discussion. This alternate-history scenario illustrates how a service's existing arsenal and design habits can influence the configuration of a new platform.
Notable Point · 35:18-36:40
How naval ownership might have changed tank armament
Royal Navy gun stocks and design habits might have pushed early tanks toward different combinations of six-pounders, central turrets, and side sponsons.