The realistic version keeps torpedo defence, reinforced subdivision, conventional loading gear, and a Hood-like power plant, but leaves out radar and sonar in its early fit. Auxiliary machinery and spacious accommodation still consume weight before later weapons and their crews are added. The wartime armament consists of nine 16-inch guns, sixteen 6-inch guns, and twenty-one quadruple pom-pom mounts. The main belt falls from 16 inches to 14.8 inches, with other belt and deck protection also reduced while the turret armour remains unchanged. The finished comparison presents a ship equipped for Second World War service rather than frozen at launch. Its added weight comes from the cumulative pressure of modernisation rather than one dramatic change.
Notable Point · 18:24-21:29
Why a 1920s hull grows heavier by the Second World War
Protection, auxiliary machinery, and later anti-aircraft fittings explain why a plausible early fast battleship gains substantial weight over time.