Adding a second carrier to the Taranto strike

Could the Royal Navy have justified using another carrier alongside Illustrious for the Taranto raid?

Yes; Eagle was part of the original two-carrier plan, and the navy would have used additional suitable carriers if they had been available.

Taranto was originally planned as a two-carrier operation involving Eagle as well as Illustrious. The historical single-carrier strike reflected availability rather than a belief that one deck was ideal. A second carrier could increase aircraft numbers, reserves, and flexibility across the attack waves. The famous raid belongs inside the Royal Navy's broader carrier planning rather than being treated in its final form as the original design.