Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 34:12-35:33

Admiral-class conversions and a Navy-controlled Fleet Air Arm

Converting spare Admiral-class hulls could have produced very large carriers and strengthened the Navy's case for controlling carrier aircraft.

Admiral Class BattlecruisersCarrier ConversionsDavid BeattyFleet Air ArmInterwar PeriodNaval AviationRoyal Air ForceRoyal Navy
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Question

What might Admiral-class carrier conversions have changed for British naval aviation?

Short answer

They could have created powerful large carriers and helped the Royal Navy retain direct control of carrier aircraft.

Notes

The unused Admiral-class hulls already had machinery and dimensions that could support unusually large carrier conversions. The resulting ships might have been more imposing than the Lexington-class conversions. Their visibility and combat promise might have strengthened David Beatty's political case for keeping carrier aircraft within the Royal Navy. Under that institutional compromise, the RAF could retain long-range land-based aviation while the Fleet Air Arm remained organically naval.