battlecruiser battlecruisers class battlecruisers planned royal_navy end world war response naval expansion programs united_states japan ships class larger faster heavily armed existing battleship projected foreign ships larger considered proper fast battleships balanced designs adequate protection nonetheless class officially designated battlecruiser higher speed lesser firepower armour relative planned class battleship design carried inch guns expected achieve knots mph carry inch guns displacement expense slower speed design approved august orders placed october november suspended later november beginning limited battleship numbers orders cancelled february ratification limited construction ships long tons displacement background declared intention create navy second united_states congress authorized building large number battleships battlecruisers aftermath world war japanese government embarking large programme warship building great_britain needs world war led pre war queen class battleships followed slower cheaper revenge class improved revenge class hulls converted construction renown class battlecruisers emergency builds war new capital ships laid war admiral class battlecruisers design called question class cancelled leaving hood completed altered design plan delayed wartime need build smaller vessels estimates admiralty early 1920s ships british access german technology ships battleship saved interned german high seas fleet scapa_flow experiences war committee concluded new ship able match speed new lexington class battlecruisers expected knots consequently series designs prepared ships ranging long tons limitations ability use british passage suez_canal designs given letters alphabet running backwards related battleship designs consideration time design letters upwards design proposals general layout similar hood armed inch guns twin triple gun turrets respectively designation came number guns turret ships large displacing long tons reach knots mph docked single german floating dock dock liverpool proposal saved nearly long tons reducing main armament calibre inch guns main deck armour inches reduction size allowed ship dock hood dock pass panama canals took route saving weight concentrated main armament amidships turret placed forward superstructure funnels consequent weight savings additional hull machinery weights ship displaced slightly advantage docked portsmouth pass canals canal deepened primary main armament blind spot rear ship variations evaluated design number turrets reduced turrets forward superstructure forward aft forward superstructure retained layout lowered turrets deck saved long tons long tons designs maximum speed knots mph reduced number main guns disliked proposed triple turrets armed inch guns save weight design accepted end changes design finalized early including reduction ship horsepower reduction main armament inches inches design description incorporated novel features dreadnought era capital ships british designs type immediately noticeable concentration main battery forward bridge engineering spaces giving ships tanker like appearance use existing dockyard facilities layout allowed designers length ships weight armour minimum resulting loss heavy fire astern considered ships intended fight broadside related feature designs tower bridge structure gun turrets provided better stable foundation fire control equipment greatly improved accommodation protection weather general characteristics battlecruisers significantly larger predecessors admiral class overall length feet beam feet draught feet deep load displaced long tons normally long tons deep load long tons older ships metacentric height feet deep load complete double propulsion battlecruisers geared steam turbine sets drove propeller shaft arranged engine rooms forward engine room held turbines wing shafts middle compartment housed turbine port inner shaft aft engine room contained turbine starboard inner shaft turbines powered yarrow small tube boilers divided boiler rooms designed produce total shaft horsepower working pressure psi kpa temperature maximum speed knots mph ships maximum capacity long tons fuel oil shaft horsepower cruising turbines estimated maximum range nautical miles knots mph turbo driven diesel generators armament housing main armament triple turrets new royal_navy british companies involved production triple gun turret designs navies choice high muzzle velocity relatively lighter shell taken german practice ran counter previous british guns inch mark gun calibre length lower muzzle velocity weapons firing heavy shells design mounted inch mark calibre guns triple powered mark gun turrets designated rear guns depressed elevated ships maximum shells gun fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity maximum range yards maximum elevation carried secondary armament sixteen inch guns superfiring twin turrets instead casemates time british capital ship lord nelson class turrets sited forward superstructure stern forward turrets provided rounds gun rear turrets rounds gun guns elevate fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity maximum range elevation rate fire rounds minute anti aircraft battery inch mark viii guns included maximum depression maximum elevation fired pound high explosive shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute guns maximum ceiling effective range maximum rounds gun carried ships intended carry millimetre pounder gun commonly known funnels stern barrel provided rounds ammunition gun fired millimetre pound shell muzzle velocity distance yards gun rate fire approximately rounds minute like previous classes british battlecruisers pair submerged broadside firing torpedo tubes planned ships compartment located forward shell room platform deck inch torpedoes tube carried peace time increase wartime mark torpedoes pounds tnt powered oxygen enriched air speed settings governed range yards knots mph yards knots mph fire control main guns battlecruisers controlled director control towers primary mounted forward superstructure mounted roof conning tower armoured hood aft main gun turret provided foot coincidence rangefinder armoured housing turret roof secondary armament primarily controlled mounted bridge aft anti aircraft guns controlled high angle control system mounted forward superstructure mount director height aft foot torpedo located sides funnels armour british dreadnought use protection scheme medium thickness armour proven useless stopping heavy calibre shells world war vital areas ship protected possible armour rest ship left use system pioneered contemporary battleship designs starting nevada class system protection required armoured citadel reserve ship stable rest hull gunfire waterline belt maximum thickness inches armour angled angle increased armor relative thickness horizontal close range fire albeit cost reducing relative height increased chance going ran feet forward edge barbette rear inch magazine belt height feet inches feet inches designed waterline forward feet belt maximum thickness inches rest length lower edge belt abreast magazines continued feet inches thickness high steel inclined prevent shell reaching magazines wave trough high speed forward rear ends belt terminated inch inch transverse bulkheads respectively waterline belt extended forward feet thickness inches reduced inches steps funnel boiler room ventilation shafts surrounded armoured box feet long intended prevent shells fired ship reaching magazine box narrowed angle rose maximum thickness inches nearest magazine aft reduced series steps inches inches inches inches armoured deck matched length waterline belt sloped meet upper edge belt maximum thickness inches barbette mid boiler rooms minimum inches rear engine boiler rooms deck thickness increased inches rear engine room covered aft inch magazines armoured deck extended forward feet torpedo compartment maximum thickness inches inches armoured deck rear extension feet inches long inches thick feet inches inches turret faces inches thick sides ranged inches thickness roof inches thick armour barbettes ranged inches thickness carefully arranged minimize likely risk conning tower armour inches thick communications tube upper deck inches thick fire control director atop conning tower protected armoured hood inches thick anti torpedo battlecruisers intended withstand explosion pound torpedo consisted outer air space inner space torpedo bulkhead consisted layers inch high steel bulkhead situated feet ship postwar tests replica system showed filling space water sealed steel crushing tubes hood effective weighed compressed air system fitted blow water spaces bring ship upright minutes torpedo hits ship double ranged feet depth orders cancellation battlecruisers ordered october november names arms limitation treaty negotiation time led suspension building november outright cancellation february treaty forbade construction ship larger long tons ships ordered actually laid aspects design ultimately incorporated nelson class described cut received design designation marking design sequence battleship design guns intended class cost reasons comply treaty inch limitation main armament
G3 battlecruiser