The hypothetical 1915 carrier would probably have used a cruiser hull, although its precise form remains uncertain. Tiger's cost of about 2.8 million pounds makes a return to a large cruiser armed with 9.2-inch guns a plausible parallel development. When large cruisers and battlecruisers cost almost the same, the stronger battlecruiser offered an obvious attraction. A wider price gap would make the cheaper cruiser useful again and encourage a more balanced building program. Reusing that large cruiser design for a carrier would provide commonality between the projects. Hermes could consequently emerge somewhat larger in this scenario.
Notable Point · 24:57-26:15
Rising battlecruiser costs favor a shared cruiser and carrier hull
A cheaper large cruiser could provide the common hull for an early carrier, producing a somewhat larger Hermes in this scenario.