A successful October 1916 carrier strike would occur just as the Admiral-class ships were being laid down, making Anson, Howe, and Rodney candidates for carrier completion even if Hood remains a battlecruiser. The Royal Navy might finish the war with as many as six Courageous-derived fleet carriers and three much larger Admiral-class carriers. Smaller Hermes-derived ships could still be ordered for cruiser, presence, and patrol duties, potentially bringing the total to fifteen carriers in service or under construction. Early torpedo aircraft would remain poor against maneuvering warships. They could still prove valuable for reconnaissance, air defense, bombing, and attacks on ships in harbor. Those limits leave capital ships important even in a carrier-heavy fleet.
Chapter · 59:19-1:04:20
A carrier-heavy Royal Navy changes the postwar settlement
Successful wartime strikes could turn Hood's sisters into carriers and leave the Royal Navy with several distinct carrier types in service or under construction.