A 42,000-ton Invincible-class carrier

How many aircraft could an Invincible-class carrier hold if enlarged to about 42,000 tons?

Potentially about thirty-six Harriers plus many helicopters, though at that size a conventional catapult carrier also becomes possible.

Aircraft capacity depends on how the extra displacement is allocated. A 42,000-ton ship no longer has to remain a scaled-up version of Invincible and could adopt catapults and arresting gear. If it retained the V/STOL concept, the larger hull might carry roughly thirty-six Harriers plus a similar number of Sea Kings. The design decision concerns the entire aviation system rather than a simple tons-to-aircraft conversion.