Ark Royal and the move to a mature purpose-built carrier

Britain's treaty allowance could have produced five 27,000-ton carriers, but the Admiralty preferred six ships and accepted a 22,500-ton requirement. Early Ark Royal concepts retained separate upper and lower flying decks like Courageous. Improved catapults and arresting gear allowed takeoff and landing on one main deck, eliminating the lower deck and extending the flight deck aft. Docking and maneuverability then forced the proposed 900-foot deck down to 800 feet, making Ark Royal a compact synthesis of British carrier experience rather than a simple maximum-size design.