How large would a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship become with octuple autoloading 20-inch turrets, and how could it be killed before 1950?
Short answerThe rough estimate starts around 225,000 tons, with 16- to 17-inch armor and formidable construction problems; a similarly large opponent could defeat it through repeated hits.
NotesReplacing each twin 15-inch mounting with eight autoloading 20-inch guns multiplies the size of the gun installation before the loading machinery is considered. A first rough estimate of 200,000 tons rises to a starting figure around 225,000 tons. Protection is estimated at 16 to 17 inches of armor. The hull would require extensive reinforcement to carry the weight and withstand the guns firing. A yard is suggested as theoretically capable of accommodating the ship, but the engineering and autoloading problems make actual construction implausible. A comparably large opponent delivering many hits is the proposed way to defeat it before the 1950s.