Argus and Langley as helicopter testbeds

Could existing aircraft carriers test the helicopter concept?

Yes; Argus and Langley could test deck handling, maintenance, and small-carrier concepts before purpose-built helicopter ships appear.

Argus has enough hangar height for smaller early helicopters, while Langley's changing role makes her another candidate experimental platform. Neither ship must be a final operational design to test deck handling, maintenance routines, launch cycles, and the usefulness of a compact helicopter carrier. Their crews would reveal which dimensions and support arrangements matter before purpose-built ships are ordered. Aircraft development is nonlinear: practical use generates missions, which produce requirements and attract more engineering effort. Keeping these older carriers in experimental service could compress the historical jump from the H-5 generation to the Whirlwind.