Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 27:20-27:57

Designing Vanguard around spare triple 16-inch turrets

Vanguard could be redesigned for spare triple 16-inch mountings, but only if those turrets actually existed when the ship was planned.

BattleshipsHMS VanguardNaval GunneryNaval ProcurementWarship Design
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Question

Could HMS Vanguard have carried four triple turrets derived from the Nelson-class 16-inch mounting?

Short answer

Yes, if spare triple 16-inch turrets were available early enough for Vanguard to be designed around them.

Notes

HMS Vanguard was built around major components that were already available, especially her main armament. The answer therefore accepts a triple 16-inch layout only in a scenario where suitable spare turrets can be supplied. Such mountings could draw on Nelson-class experience, but the hull would need to be designed around their dimensions, weights, and magazines from the outset. The counterfactual preserves Vanguard’s real procurement logic: the available hardware determines the battleship rather than being fitted casually after the design is complete.