A British attack on Japan would probably combine several carriers and send successive waves at night rather than one massed daylight formation. During daylight, the same force would emphasize a continuous flow of fighters, anti-submarine patrols, and ready aircraft for threats approaching the fleet. The Taranto attack illustrates the night-wave method even though Illustrious could also assemble a concentrated strike. Treaty-era carriers could emphasize one operating rhythm more easily than both at once. As ships grew beyond treaty limits, later designs gained the capacity to sustain defensive flying while also generating larger offensive groups.
Notable Point · 2:09:08-2:12:10
How British carrier doctrine divided night attack from day defense
Royal Navy carriers emphasized repeated night-attack waves and continuous daytime protection, a different operating rhythm from the American massed daylight alpha strike.