Deck-edge lifts could have preserved the protection valued in British armoured carriers while opening more usable internal volume. A modest growth in length and displacement could then support a stronger air group without abandoning the core concept. The proposal is a design trade-off, not a claim that armoured carriers were inherently mistaken.
Notable Point · 1:44:17-1:45:15
Deck-edge lifts for armoured carriers
A counterfactual carrier design keeps the armoured deck but uses deck-edge lifts to recover hangar volume and aircraft capacity.