Super-Battleships of World War II: Montana-class, Lion-class, H-class, A-150 and Sovetsky Soyuz-class

A study of the design, development and eventual fates of the uncompleted super-battleships intended to be built before and during World War II.

At the start of World War II the
battleship was still king, and all the major powers were designing even mightier battleships to
surpass their most modern and powerful classes. But when World War II broke
out, aircraft carriers would dominate naval warfare, and none of these
monster warships were completed. In this book, naval expert Mark
Stille uncovers these lost battleships as they are reconstructed with
superb new full-colour artwork. The US Navy wanted five
Montana-class ships, based on the Iowas but with a heavier main battery and improved
protection, and the Royal Navy began work on three 16in-gun Lion-class fast
battleships. The German Navy developed its H-class designs: initially an
improved Bismack-class, they became more fantastical, culminating in the 141,500-ton,
20in-gun H-44. The Japanese A-150 was based on the Yamato-class but with 20.1in
guns, while the 15 ships planned for the USSR’s Sovetsky Soyuz-class would
have rivalled the Montanas in size.

Explaining the design, intended roles and fate of these ships, this is the story of the last battleship designs in history.