Q&A · 2:08:34-2:09:35

What Vickers would sell as a 1913 battleship

A full Vickers export design in 1913 would emphasize the company's guns, armor, fire control, and triple-turret sales pitch rather than an especially fast machinery plant.

Question

What would a completely Vickers-designed and built battleship or battlecruiser for a 1913 customer look like?

Short answer

It would be a heavily armed 14-inch triple-turret design built around Vickers guns, armor, and fire control, with speed depending on bought-in machinery and budget.

Notes

A likely Vickers proposal would use 14-inch guns in triple turrets, potentially as many as fifteen barrels. The company would favour selling its guns, armour and fire-control equipment, while obtaining boilers and turbines elsewhere. That emphasis would not necessarily produce the fastest ship. A customer prepared to pay more could obtain a stronger machinery fit, with Parsons turbines explicitly mentioned.