The ship's single 18-inch gun, forward flying-off deck, balloon trials, and intermediate superstructures show a navy testing incompatible arrangements in service. Furious could launch aircraft while retaining capital-ship features, but the resulting hybrid was poor at combining the two roles. Conning beneath aircraft operations would subject the command team to noise, danger, and broken coordination. An offset island emerged as the practical way to give both the bridge and flight-deck controllers a usable view without obstructing the landing area.
Chapter · 43:41-46:18
Furious exposes the problems of hybrid flight decks
HMS Furious moves through gun-and-flight-deck experiments that demonstrate why carriers need a dedicated island and clear operating deck.