A naval design rule of thumb limits a new ship to about three major innovations; updated versions of familiar technology do not necessarily count as another major change. British dreadnought development separated changes in gun layout, gun type, propulsion, and speed across successive classes. On this reading, the Queen Elizabeth class had already used its allowance on 15-inch armament, layout, and higher speed, leaving newer small-tube oil-fired boilers outside the design. Those boilers might have helped the ships reach the intended speed, although the 1912-13 versions were less mature than those available in 1920. Adopting them is judged a reasonable additional risk in this case.
Notable Point · 47:37-49:24
Queen Elizabeth class tests the limits of design conservatism
Limiting major innovations reduced design risk, but small-tube oil-fired boilers might have helped the Queen Elizabeth class reach its intended speed.