Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 43:41-44:12

Why speed made Renown more useful by World War II

The Revenge class met an urgent World War I need, but Renown's speed created more useful operational options in the next war.

BattlecruisersFleet MobilityRenown Class BattlecruisersRevenge Class Battleships
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Question

Would five more Revenge-class battleships or more Renown-type battlecruisers have been more useful?

Short answer

The Revenges were valuable in World War I, but additional Renowns would have offered the speed and mobility the Royal Navy needed more in World War II.

Notes

The Revenge-class battleships were necessary for the battle fleet that built them. By World War II, faster Renown-type ships could pursue raiders, support mobile forces, and reach distant crises that slow battleships could not.