Modernizing the Royal Navy's available capital ships

A complete redesign of the King George V class was no longer realistic in January 1939, although an earlier start might have allowed a 15-inch design and common guns for older battleships. Beginning in 1937 or 1938 could also have opened a wider reconstruction program for Hood, Barham, and Malaya, but that opportunity was already closing by the video's chosen date. Existing ships still offered nearer-term ways to improve the fleet. Repulse could receive a reconstruction modeled on Renown, while Nelson and Rodney offered comparatively accessible machinery spaces because their engines sat behind the concentrated armored and armament section. Replacement or retuned machinery might raise Nelson and Rodney from about 23 knots toward the high twenties, despite the difficulty of working with their two-shaft layout. Even a smaller speed increase would make those heavily armed ships more useful in a fleet short of both fast and modern capital ships.