The Royal Navy did not worry about aviation fuel while neglecting ammunition safety. Designs from Hood and the rebuilt Renowns through the King George V class and Vanguard incorporated responses to magazine and flash risks. Practices tolerable around 12-inch or 13.5-inch ammunition become much harder to sustain with 15-, 16-, or 18-inch weapons. Each increase multiplies shell weight, propellant volume, handling loads, and the consequences of an error. Safety architecture therefore reflects the physical scale of the ammunition as well as cordite-handling procedure.
Notable Point · 3:37:32-3:38:43
Royal Navy cordite safety and the scale of heavy ammunition
British battleship arrangements reflected deep concern about cordite and shell storage, while increasing calibre made casual handling shortcuts progressively less tolerable.