The rules specified how many large aircraft, fighters, or reconnaissance machines each British carrier could range on its decks. Lift arrangements and hangar position changed the time needed to bring aircraft up, while water-cooled and radial engines required different warm-up allowances. Foreign carriers were mapped to British comparison types: Hosho to Hermes, and Kaga, Lexington, and Saratoga to Furious. The rules even credited the American carriers with the ability to range aircraft forward while preserving landing space aft. Carrier strength depended on air-group size and the tempo at which a ship could launch and recover its aircraft.
Chapter · 24:19-26:10
Carrier deck capacity turned fleet aviation into a timing problem
Deck space, lifts, hangars, engine warm-up, and foreign carrier comparisons determined how quickly an air group could become a usable striking force.