What would Royal Navy carrier squadrons contain if the light-carrier swarm arrived for the British Pacific Fleet?
Short answerThey would largely use the Hellcats and Fireflies already being produced for late-war Fleet Air Arm service.
NotesMany light carriers did arrive, so the counterfactual changes numbers more than aircraft selection. Their additional squadrons would draw on the established late-war flow of Hellcats and Fireflies. Existing production, training, maintenance, and supply arrangements would favor repeating proven air groups. The result is a larger British Pacific Fleet aviation force rather than a novel carrier-air-group concept.