The design criticism centers on the failure to impose priorities during development. Nine guns, fewer turrets, a coherent aircraft arrangement, or more time on the drawing board could have preserved the best features without turning the class into a curiosity. Both ships nevertheless survived the war and served effectively, showing that the individual components produced a workable cruiser. Their record leaves open how much capability a more disciplined design process might have delivered. Holding that process accountable respects the crews and the ships they had to operate.
Notable Point · 46:58-50:13
A flawed design that still delivered capable service
Both ships survived the war and served effectively, even though a firmer design authority might have produced a more capable cruiser.