This was one of those times

When I did this design study that was clearly influenced by the Super Lion concept, I grossly underestimated what it would take to make it work. I had optimistically thought that on a normal displacement of 28,500 tons, and 800ft x 90ft x 26.5ft, I could have 10-15in BLR and 16-5in QF guns with a 6in armor basis. The turrets and barbettes would be 9in. The weights were to be:

• Hull: 10,050 tons
• Auxiliary machinery: 1,060 tons
• Machinery: 3,800 tons
• Armament: 2,410 tons
• Protection: 7,520 tons
• Miscellaneous: 2,160 tons

The machinery was to be 30 SHP/ton of machinery weight. This is the Springsharp report, which reflects what was necessary:

Super Lion design study, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1912 (Engine 1927)

Displacement:
 33,985 t light; 35,582 t standard; 39,200 t normal; 42,094 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 800.00 ft / 800.00 ft x 95.00 ft x 29.50 ft (normal load)
 243.84 m / 243.84 m x 28.96 m  x 8.99 m

Armament:
      8 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1,687.50lbs / 765.44kg shells, 1912 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      2 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (1x2 guns), 1,687.50lbs / 765.44kg shells, 1912 Model
   Breech loading guns in a turret (on a barbette)
   on centreline amidships
      16 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1912 Model
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts 
   on side, evenly spread
 Weight of broadside 17,875 lbs / 8,108 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 80

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 6.00" / 152 mm 560.00 ft / 170.69 m 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
   Main Belt covers 108 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  2.00" / 51 mm 560.00 ft / 170.69 m 27.00 ft / 8.23 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 9.00" / 229 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  9.00" / 229 mm
 2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 2.00" / 51 mm  2.00" / 51 mm

   - Armour deck: 3.00" / 76 mm, Conning tower: 9.00" / 229 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 187,367 shp / 139,776 Kw = 32.00 kts
 Range 7,800nm at 18.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 6,512 tons

Complement:
 1,392 - 1,810

Cost:
 £3.894 million / $15.577 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 2,234 tons, 5.7 %
 Armour: 9,235 tons, 23.6 %
    - Belts: 2,397 tons, 6.1 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,119 tons, 2.9 %
    - Armament: 2,376 tons, 6.1 %
    - Armour Deck: 3,120 tons, 8.0 %
    - Conning Tower: 224 tons, 0.6 %
 Machinery: 5,914 tons, 15.1 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 16,601 tons, 42.3 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,215 tons, 13.3 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   45,833 lbs / 20,790 Kg = 27.2 x 15.0 " / 381 mm shells or 5.6 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
 Metacentric height 5.8 ft / 1.8 m
 Roll period: 16.6 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.96
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.03

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.612
 Length to Beam Ratio: 8.42 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 28.28 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -2.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  31.00 ft / 9.45 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Mid (67 %):  27.00 ft / 8.23 m (19.00 ft / 5.79 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Stern:  19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Average freeboard: 24.68 ft / 7.52 m
 Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 115.6 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 190.6 %
 Waterplane Area: 56,208 Square feet or 5,222 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 204 lbs/sq ft or 996 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.98
  - Longitudinal: 1.24
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent