The de Havilland Vampire's historical carrier landing shows that compact early jets were feasible at sea. Vampire- or Venom-like aircraft provide a more realistic model than an immediate leap to much larger postwar naval fighters. The Fleet Air Arm would still rely heavily on turboprops for endurance and carrier practicality, perhaps using converted land-based jets only in limited roles. The RAF could field Meteor-like jet aircraft from roughly 1936-37 in this accelerated timeline, with specialized naval jets following later.
Chapter · 2:06:58-2:18:30
Vampire-like jets meet practical carrier turboprops
Early British jets could reach naval service, but turboprops remain attractive for the endurance and handling demanded by wartime carriers.