Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:20:13-1:28:46

How an F3 layout could produce a faster Nelson

The F3's finer hull, larger machinery spaces, and greater power could push a Nelson-like battleship toward roughly 28 knots.

Capital Ship DesignF3 BattlecruiserG3 Class BattlecruisersN3 Class BattleshipsNaval ArchitectureNelson Class Battleships
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Question

How fast could a Nelson-type ship be on an F3-style layout with the same guns and armor?

Short answer

About 28 knots is plausible, using the F3's larger machinery spaces and finer hull while carefully managing treaty displacement.

Notes

The F3 form devoted more volume to machinery, used larger uptakes, and had a finer hull than Nelson. The historical 15-inch F3 concept was associated with roughly 112,000 shaft horsepower and a design speed near 29 knots. Retaining 16-inch guns and treaty displacement would demand a longer hull and careful massaging of the weight figures. Even with those compromises, an F3-style Nelson could plausibly reach about 28 knots and become a much more flexible capital ship.