From Chilean battleship Almirante Cochrane to HMS Eagle

Eagle began as the Chilean Almirante Latorre-class battleship Almirante Cochrane, whose construction had been suspended during the First World War. The Admiralty decided in February 1918 to purchase and convert her even though three larger Admiral-class battlecruiser hulls were available. One interpretation is that this cautious choice allowed a comprehensive carrier conversion to be tested before the Navy committed more valuable hulls. It also separates wartime implementation from the longer peacetime research that makes new technology usable. The decision brought an export battleship programme, wartime acquisition, and experimental carrier development together in one hull.