Battleships design “C” demands in 1920 predicted in 1908

In his article The development of the capital ship (p. 129 and further) predicted Maurice Prendergast the future demands for  battleships. What he could not foresee was the arms race, the First World War followed by the Treaties for the Limitations of Naval Armaments in the 1920s and 1930 limiting the number of capital ships and their maximum displacement (35,000 tons) and calibre (40.6cm/16”).

Prediction 1920. Normal displacement 30,500 tons. Dimensions 613 x 114 x 29.2 feet. Horsepower with steam propulsion 45,000 (normal)-90,000 (extreme) ihp. Speed with steam propulsion 22. 0 knots. Speed  gas driven 25.25 knots. May be gas engined. Armament 6-16.25” B 45 cal guns.

British Nelson-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

British N3-class, displacement around 49,300 tons, dimensions 820 x 106 x 33 feet, horsepower 56,000 shp,23 knots speed, armament 9-45.7cm/18” guns was approved in 1921 but due to the Washington Naval Treaty cancelled in 1922. The British Nelson-class derived from theN3-class was laid down in 1922, displacement 33,800 (standard)-38,390 (full load) tons, dimensons 709.10 x 106 x 30.4 feet, horsepower 45,000 shp, 23.0 knots speed, armament 3x3-40.6cm/16” guns.

Japanese Tosa-class 1920-1922©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Japanese Tosa-class laid down in 1920, displacement 39,900 (normal)-44,200 (full load) tons, dimensions 768 x 100.1 x 30.10 feet, horsepower 91,000 shp, 26.5 knots speed, armament 5x2-41cm/16.1” guns.

American South Dakota-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Laid down 1920, all building cancelled and broken up in 1923, displacement 43,900 (normal)-47,800 (full load) tons, dimensions 660-684 x 106 x 33 feet, horsepower 60,000 shp, 23 knots speed, armament 4x3-40.6cm/16” guns.

 

German Bayern-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Design proces started in 1910, laid down 1913-15, displacement 28,530 (normal)-32,200 (full load) tons, dimensions 588.7-590.7 x 98.5 x 9.39 feet, horsepower 35,000 shp, 21 knots speed, armament 4x2-38cm/15” guns. Her successor the L20e a-class was to be built in 1918 but never realized, displacement 43,800 (normal)-48,700 (full load) tons, dimensions 781 x 110 x 29.6-32.6 feet, horsepower 100,000 shp, 26 knots speed, armament 8-42cm/16.5” guns. The Scharnhorst-class laid down in 1935 was to be the first class built since the Bayern-class.

French Lyon-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com 

Cancelled in 1914, displacement 29,600 tons, dimensions 623,4-638.1 x 95.2 x 28.5-30.2 feet, horsepower 40,000 hp, 21 knots speed, armament 4x4-34cm/13.4” guns. The Dunkerque-class laid doen 1932-1934 was the first class to be built since the Normandie-class.

Italian Francesco Caraccioli-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Laid down in 1914-1915 never completed, displacement 34,000 (full load) tons, dimensions 696 x 97.1 x 31.2 feet, horsepower 105,000 shp, 28 knots speed, armament 4x2-38.1cm/15” guns. The Littorio-class laid down in 1934 and 1938 was the first class to be completed since the Andrea Doria-class.

Source

Alan H. Burgoyne. The Navy League Annual 1908-1909.