A plan of the unbuilt Normandie class shows the limits of France's last prewar battleship approach. Three quadruple 13.4-inch turrets sat on three different levels, creating a crowded and mechanically ambitious arrangement after the Bretagne class's five twin turrets and several rejected mixed layouts. The design was formidable but not world-leading, and its strategic purpose focused largely on matching Italy. The long pause after cancellation may have helped France break with the pattern and produce the more coherent Dunkerque class.
Notable Point · 2:30:25-2:33:24
Normandie's design and the break to Dunkerque
The unbuilt Normandie layout shows the limits of France's prewar battleship approach and why a later design break could be productive.