Re: History repeats itself
IIRC the 14" main battery was mandated by the then current Second London Treaty - original designs included 15" (3x3?). The original KGV design was for 3x4, but this was thought to be too top heavy and the final (2x4 & 1x2) design was adopted.
The treaty had an "escalator clause" which allowed bigger designs with up to 16" guns - the US used this for the NC and SoDak classes. The RN had already ordered guns (treaty compliant) and the delay in building 16" guns and mounts would have been too much.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
