The counterfactual turns from aircraft type to fleet balance. Three Admiral-class carrier conversions would have fielded air groups comparable with Lexington and Saratoga, well above the smaller conversions of Courageous, Glorious, and Furious. The United States might then have sought a third large carrier to preserve parity, raising the practical question of which unfinished hull could be converted. The Royal Navy would still have been unlikely to adopt the American preference for 8-inch guns on early carriers.
Notable Point · 34:48-35:45
Admiral-class carrier conversions and US parity
Three large Admiral-class conversions might have prompted the United States to seek a third Lexington-scale carrier while reopening questions about conversion hulls and heavy guns on flight decks.