One machinery choice could have changed an entire capital-ship programme. If the Queen Elizabeths had adopted small-tube boilers, the same system would probably have reached the Revenge class as well. That could mean roughly 28 knots for the Queen Elizabeths and about 25 knots for the Revenges, giving the Royal Navy a much faster battle fleet. At Jutland the Fifth Battle Squadron could have stayed closer to Beatty instead of falling behind during the run south. The same speed reserve would also make older battleships more attractive for interwar modernisation and more flexible in the Second World War.
Notable Point · 1:01:27-1:06:24
Small-tube boilers and a faster British battle line
Earlier small-tube boilers could have raised the Queen Elizabeths toward 28 knots and the Revenge class toward 25 knots, changing two-war fleet employment.