The Untold Story Of WW2’s Fastest Battleships

From the British Royal Navy’s King George V-class to Japan’s colossal Yamato-class, World War II saw some of the most powerful and surprisingly fast battleships ever built. Here’s a look at the quickest capital ships of the era.

Japanese Yamato Class

The Yamato and Musashi were the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Designed for brute strength, their massive size and unrivaled firepower made them legends. Despite weighing over 70,000 tons fully loaded, both ships could reach a top speed of 27 knots—with Musashi slightly edging out her sister at 27.5 knots.

British King George V Class

Britain’s WWII-era King George V-class battleships, including HMS King George V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, and Anson, balanced speed, firepower, and protection. Most ships in this class topped out at 28 knots, but HMS Anson outpaced them all, hitting 29.25 knots during trials.

German Bismarck Class

The Bismarck, commissioned in 1940, was Germany’s naval titan. While she reached 30.01 knots in sea trials, it was her sister ship, the Tirpitz, that took the title of Germany’s fastest battleship—achieving 30.8 knots during a high-speed run off Norway in 1942.

French Richelieu

Often overlooked, Richelieu was France’s crown jewel launched in 1939. This sleek and powerful ship stunned many with her top speed of 32 knots, cementing her legacy as one of the fastest battleships of WWII.

U.S. Navy Iowa Class

The U.S. Navy’s Iowa-class battleships—Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin—were built for speed and striking power. With 212,000 shaft horsepower and four propellers, they were designed to cruise at 33 knots. But USS New Jersey shattered expectations in 1968, clocking an incredible 35.02 knots—a record sustained for six hours during a shakedown cruise.

When it comes to raw speed, the USS New Jersey claims the crown as the fastest battleship ever built, proving that even the most heavily armed vessels could be swift when needed.