The GB/BB/1914 design

My friend Cliff intended to built the GB/BB/1914 design in quantity. He wanted a 25-knot battleship with 18in guns. We liked the 5in gun as our secondary armament. Even Admiral Fisher liked the size, as the shell is easily handled, compared to the 6in shell. The main problem with the design is that to achieve adequate strength, the Standard displacement needed to be much greater than 48,500 tons. To satisfy Springsharp, the Standard displacement needed to be 55,354 tons. This is the Springsharp report:

GB/BB/1914, Great Britain Battleship laid down 1914 (Engine 1923)

Displacement:
 52,796 t light; 55,354 t standard; 58,500 t normal; 61,017 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 802.03 ft / 800.00 ft x 120.00 ft x 34.00 ft (normal load)
 244.46 m / 243.84 m x 36.58 m  x 10.36 m

Armament:
      9 - 18.00" / 457 mm guns (3x3 guns), 2,916.00lbs / 1,322.68kg shells, 1914 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
      20 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (10x2 guns), 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1914 Model
   Quick firing guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on side, all amidships, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
 Weight of broadside 27,494 lbs / 12,471 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 90

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
   Main Belt covers 85 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  5.00" / 127 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 33.00 ft / 10.06 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 12.0" / 305 mm  18.0" / 457 mm
 2nd: 5.00" / 127 mm 5.00" / 127 mm  5.00" / 127 mm

   - Armour deck: 7.00" / 178 mm, Conning tower: 18.00" / 457 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Geared drive, 4 shafts, 94,626 shp / 70,591 Kw = 25.00 kts
 Range 7,500nm at 15.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 5,664 tons

Complement:
 1,880 - 2,445

Cost:
 £6.590 million / $26.358 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 3,437 tons, 5.9 %
 Armour: 23,982 tons, 41.0 %
    - Belts: 5,745 tons, 9.8 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 2,686 tons, 4.6 %
    - Armament: 5,639 tons, 9.6 %
    - Armour Deck: 9,326 tons, 15.9 %
    - Conning Tower: 584 tons, 1.0 %
 Machinery: 3,163 tons, 5.4 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 22,215 tons, 38.0 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,704 tons, 9.7 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   86,778 lbs / 39,362 Kg = 29.8 x 18.0 " / 457 mm shells or 17.1 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
 Metacentric height 8.1 ft / 2.5 m
 Roll period: 17.7 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 66 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.60
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.32

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has a flush deck
 Block coefficient: 0.627
 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.67 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 28.28 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 4.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  29.00 ft / 8.84 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Mid (50 %):  21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Stern:  21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Average freeboard: 21.64 ft / 6.60 m
 Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 74.3 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 153.2 %
 Waterplane Area: 72,019 Square feet or 6,691 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 234 lbs/sq ft or 1,140 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.98
  - Longitudinal: 1.22
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily