After the suspension of work on the Lion class, by February 1945 the DNC, Sir Charles Lillicrap, was estimating that a battleship meeting all the latest requirements would displace about 67,000 to 70,000 tons. Further designs brought this down to 59,100 tons standard, but this was still considered excessive. Lillicrap had another design prepared limiting the main battery to two triple 16in turrets and the belt armour to 9in. The resulting sketch, designated ‘X’, displaced 35,000 tons. The small battleship was severely criticised by the staff, which felt that the armament was inferior to that of existing foreign battleships. In April 1945 a Committee on the Size of Battleships was established, and after some further work was done, the new ship grew to about 45,000 tons.
The original sketch does not appear to have survived, but John Roberts drew an estimate of its based on known characteristics and general British practices of the time and was published in Warship, in the article, 'Diminishing Returns' which examines several small battleship designs from several nations and which has provided me with other drawing ideas. My artists impression builds on Roberts' basic sketch outline further. It is speculative but not wildly so.
Specification
37,200 tons normal, 44,500 tons full load (deep); 680 ft (720 wl) x 106 ftx ? ft; 2x3 16in, 6x2 4.5in Mk VI (although plan shows 8x2), 9x6 40mm; 125,000shp, 29kts; belt 9in, deck 6in.
EDIT: Added rigging and portholes in the hull to add a little more life!
Thank you Kim for the crest
