Ark Royal displaced about 22,000 tons standard and 28,160 tons at deep load, while the Yorktowns were roughly 20,100 and 25,900 tons. The British ship had three shafts, six Admiralty drum boilers, and about 102,000 shaft horsepower, while the American design used nine boilers and four shafts for about 128,000 shaft horsepower. Yorktown reached 32.5 knots, compared with Ark Royal's roughly 31 knots. Those figures raise the question of why the heavier ship carried fewer aircraft and made less power. Structural weight supplies the answer: multiple strong decks, belt armour, and protection over machinery and magazines made Ark Royal a very solid carrier. The specification comparison shows what her additional displacement was buying.
Notable Point · 6:48-9:46
Displacement and power reveal Ark Royal's structural weight
Ark Royal was heavier yet slower and less powerful than Yorktown, directing the comparison toward the British carrier's structural strength and distributed protection.