What if the Queen Elizabeth class had been designed for 28 knots?
Short answerIt could create a faster, more flexible battle squadron and compound German difficulties at Jutland.
NotesThe answer argues that small-tube boilers and a modest increase in hull length could have supported 28 knots without sacrificing armour. A four-shaft arrangement already existed, so the design needed enough steam generation and a somewhat finer hull. With eight fast Queen Elizabeths available, Britain could form two powerful squadrons or divide them between Evan-Thomas and Jellicoe. Their 15-inch guns had already hurt German ships despite inadequate British shell fuzes. More fast ships would multiply that effect, while better fuzes could turn the tactical advantage into a much more destructive result.