Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:20:22-2:22:38

Warship designs that defy understanding

The panel distinguishes astonishing engineering achievements from designs whose compromises seem inexplicably poor.

Danton Class BattleshipsGlomar ExplorerSeawise GiantWarship Design
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Question

Which ship designs make you wonder how their builders managed it?

Short answer

Glomar Explorer and Seawise Giant inspire admiration for engineering scale, while Danton prompts disbelief at its design failures.

Notes

Glomar Explorer is selected because its covert recovery mission demanded an extraordinary specialized engineering solution. Seawise Giant represents a different achievement: constructing and operating a ship at a scale that is difficult to visualize. The French pre-dreadnought Danton is raised for the opposite reason. Its design choices leave the panel wondering how such an unsatisfactory combination advanced to construction.