Q&A · 18:22-19:17

Which experimental Royal Navy carrier was worth rebuilding

Eagle, Hermes, Argus, and Furious offer different limits on what an early-1930s carrier rebuild could achieve.

Question

Of the Royal Navy's experimental carriers, which would bring the most benefit from an extensive rebuild in the early 1930s?

Short answer

Furious is the likeliest candidate, although her repeated alterations make another major rebuild unattractive. Argus is dismissed, and Hermes and Eagle offer limited room for improvement.

Notes

Argus is dismissed as a candidate for an extensive early-1930s rebuild. Hermes is described in terms of light-cruiser scale and construction, which limits how much more can be made of her. Eagle's converted battleship hull also restricts the changes available. Furious is left as the most plausible choice, though the answer is reluctant because she had already undergone so many alterations.