Wartime wear, Victorious, and the carrier pause

Victorious was the least worn of the first three Illustrious-class ships, despite extensive wartime damage and patching. Pausing carrier construction concentrated operational demand on too few ships and reduced their maintenance time. Earlier delivery could have spread that burden and kept more carriers available. A second armoured carrier at Taranto could have doubled the strike package. In a separate exercise example, concentrated Blackburn Skua attacks were needed against Giulio Cesare, giving Ark Royal a role in that hypothetical strike.