The GB/CB/1907 Design B 21 November 1906 version

The 21 November 1906 version of Design B for the GB/CB/1907 battlecruiser was extremely well-protected. The lower belt was 10in thick. The other characteristics are the same, with a speed of 24.5 knots. This is so much better than the Indefatigable that we have a hard time understanding why the 1907-1908 battlecruisers were not built to this design. This design was proteced on a similar scale to the German Von der Tann. This is the Springsharp report:

GB/CB/1907  Design B 21 November 1906, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1907

Displacement:
 18,438 t light; 19,274 t standard; 22,200 t normal; 24,541 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 585.00 ft / 585.00 ft x 81.00 ft x 27.00 ft (normal load)
 178.31 m / 178.31 m x 24.69 m  x 8.23 m

Armament:
     4 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (2x2 guns), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1907 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, evenly spread
     4 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (2x2 guns), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1907 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on side, all amidships
     16 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 32.00lbs / 14.51kg shells, 1907 Model
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts
   on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts
 Weight of broadside 7,424 lbs / 3,367 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 90
 5 - 18.0" / 457.2 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
  - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 10.0" / 254 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
 Ends: 4.00" / 102 mm 100.00 ft / 30.48 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   85.00 ft / 25.91 m Unarmoured ends
 Upper: 6.00" / 152 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 105 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

  - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  1.50" / 38 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 26.50 ft / 8.08 m

  - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 10.0" / 254 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  10.0" / 254 mm
 2nd: 10.0" / 254 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  10.0" / 254 mm
 3rd: 4.00" / 102 mm 4.00" / 102 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

  - Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 10.00" / 254 mm

Machinery:
 Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 52,089 shp / 38,858 Kw = 24.50 kts
 Range 5,200nm at 15.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 5,266 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
 909 - 1,182

Cost:
 £1.881 million / $7.523 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 928 tons, 4.2 %
 Armour: 6,151 tons, 27.7 %
    - Belts: 2,307 tons, 10.4 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 588 tons, 2.7 %
    - Armament: 1,794 tons, 8.1 %
    - Armour Deck: 1,291 tons, 5.8 %
    - Conning Tower: 170 tons, 0.8 %
 Machinery: 3,256 tons, 14.7 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 8,104 tons, 36.5 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,762 tons, 16.9 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   29,314 lbs / 13,297 Kg = 33.9 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 4.1 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
 Metacentric height 4.7 ft / 1.4 m
 Roll period: 15.8 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 74 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.73
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.48

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.607
 Length to Beam Ratio: 7.22 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 24.19 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 %
 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:  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
    - Mid (70 %):  25.00 ft / 7.62 m (17.00 ft / 5.18 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
    - Stern:  17.00 ft / 5.18 m
    - Average freeboard: 22.84 ft / 6.96 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 109.4 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 169.3 %
 Waterplane Area: 34,894 Square feet or 3,242 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 111 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 155 lbs/sq ft or 756 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.94
  - Longitudinal: 1.78
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily