The Queen Elizabeth class provides a contrast to the mature 13.5-inch-gun ships. Its designers aimed for fast-battleship performance. Industry advice persuaded the government that small-tube boilers were unavailable, and the resulting choice kept the class from getting as close to that goal as intended. Boiler selection and procurement politics could limit what an otherwise ambitious battleship design achieved.
Notable Point · 1:43-2:13
How boiler choice limited the Queen Elizabeths' speed goal
A short comparison explains why the Queen Elizabeth class reached toward fast-battleship performance without fully attaining the intended result.