The Duke of Edinburgh and Minotaur designs suggest a counterfactual cruiser that could have remained useful in either world war. The imagined escort has triple-expansion machinery or possibly turbines, a proposed top speed of roughly 25 or 26 knots, and enough endurance to cross an ocean. Its 9.2-inch guns could challenge commerce raiders and reduce reliance on R-class battleships for convoy escort. A Deutschland-class ship would probably still win with its 11-inch guns, but the question is how much damage it would suffer in doing so. That risk could deter an attack even if the escort could not defeat the raider outright.
Notable Point · 9:18-10:53
The 9.2-inch cruiser as a convoy-escort alternative
A modernised 9.2-inch cruiser could have offered long-range convoy protection without relying on capital ships as escorts.
9.2-inch Guns11-inch GunsAlternate HistoryArmoured CruisersCommerce RaidingConvoy OperationsCruiser DesignDeutschland Class CruisersDuke of Edinburgh Class Armoured CruisersMinotaur Class CruisersNaval EnduranceRevenge Class BattleshipsShip SpeedSteam TurbinesTriple Expansion EnginesWorld War IWorld War II