How early carriers recovered aircraft with little machinery

Early carriers needed fewer specialized fittings than later ships. The examples here have no catapults, and their arresting wires, where fitted, run lengthwise along the deck. Those wires are intended to keep a landing aircraft from being blown over the side. Flight-deck crews still catch aircraft by their wings, with naval aircraft strengthened for that handling. This comparatively simple recovery arrangement supports the proposed rapid conversion of auxiliaries into carriers.