Britain could have ordered a second Ark Royal during the interwar build-up and allowed each Illustrious-class carrier several thousand more tons. That extra displacement might have supported two fighter and two attack squadrons rather than the smaller historical air group. Roughly doubling fighter strength would have changed what an armoured carrier could defend and attack. The additional shipyard work and material still carried a real cost.
Notable Point · 3:02:13-3:03:29
A second Ark Royal and larger Illustrious-class carriers
A modest increase in carrier tonnage might have given each Illustrious-class ship another squadron and materially improved its wartime air group.