The opening framework avoids criticizing pioneer ships merely for being first. The comparison covers carriers commissioned by 1940 and judges them against the evidence available when they were designed. Common sense still matters where a choice obstructed the flight deck, complicated machinery, or ignored the steady growth of aircraft. The useful question is whether a navy learned from experience and left room for the ship's aviation system to develop.
Chapter · 10:38-16:40
How to judge an experimental aircraft carrier
Judging carriers commissioned by 1940 requires distinguishing unavoidable experimentation from choices that ignored available evidence or basic operational logic.