Why Britain faked R-class battleships and Hermes

The choice of identity is part of the deception, not merely the shape applied to a merchant hull. R-class battleships and Hermes were important enough to affect German estimates, especially for convoy protection, yet less likely to receive continuous attention than Ark Royal or a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship. HMS Iron Duke and converted merchant ships could therefore sustain plausible appearances without immediately colliding with detailed enemy tracking of prestigious units. The Hermes likeness remained useful after the real carrier had sunk because it still presented a credible carrier silhouette, while Iron Duke could look operational after losing that capability. Their apparent presence tied German planning to false locations and allowed real capital ships to serve elsewhere.