Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:33:46-2:34:18

A 28-knot Queen Elizabeth with small-tube boilers

Royal Navy estimates suggested small-tube boilers could raise the four-turret Queen Elizabeth design to about 28 knots.

Fast BattleshipsQueen Elizabeth Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyShip ModernisationShip Propulsion
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Question

How fast could the Queen Elizabeth class have become with small-tube boilers?

Short answer

Royal Navy estimates suggested about 28 knots in the existing four-turret configuration, roughly three knots faster than practical service performance.

Notes

A Royal Navy estimate put the Queen Elizabeth class at roughly 28 knots with small-tube boilers, even without changing the existing four-turret arrangement. That is about three knots above the speed the ships generally achieved in practice. The increase would improve their ability to work with faster formations. It would be especially useful in the approach to the Second World War.