Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 12:24-12:36

When a 16-inch King George V becomes a Lion

Three triple 16-inch turrets would turn the proposal into a Lion-class battleship in all but name.

16-inch GunsKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Lion Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyWarship Design
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Question

Could Britain have built a King George V-class battleship with three triple 16-inch turrets?

Short answer

The result would effectively be a Lion-class battleship rather than a modified King George V.

Notes

The proposed armament changes the identity of the design. A King George V-class battleship with three triple 16-inch turrets would effectively become a Lion-class battleship. Calling it a heavily armed King George V therefore understates how far the ship has moved from the historical class. Britain's Lion studies provide the more useful comparison for a nine-gun 16-inch design.