Before radio beacons matured, a line of small illuminated floats could lead returning aircraft toward the flight deck. In the early carrier era, few opponents possessed the aircraft or night-flying proficiency needed to exploit the visible trail. The Royal Navy's own activity after dark led it to overestimate possible opponents' night-flying ability and plan against that demanding assumption. Destroyers and cruisers could wait beyond the lights for a surface ship following them. Supporting forces could therefore turn the exposure created by a necessary flight operation into an ambush opportunity.
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Carrier night recovery before radio beacons
The Royal Navy explored lights dropped behind a carrier to guide aircraft home, then turned the exposed route into a potential trap for intruders.