Q&A · 3:02:56-3:03:41

Uninterrupted wartime construction brings British battleships and carriers forward

The counterfactual puts all King George V and Illustrious-class ships in service by 1940, followed by Implacables in 1941 and Lions in 1942.

Question

What could the Pacific warship balance look like if Britain had not paused capital-ship construction during the Second World War?

Short answer

The proposed timetable has all King George Vs and Illustrious-class carriers in service by 1940, Implacables following in 1941, and Lions by 1942.

Notes

In this scenario, the King George V-class battleships are all in service by 1940 and the Lion-class ships by 1942. The Illustrious class also completes by 1940, with Implacable-type carriers following in 1941. Their successors can then enter the construction program earlier. These dates are counterfactual estimates of what uninterrupted work could produce, with more capital ships available for the Pacific war.