Hermes and Gladiators in a larger Force Z exercise

An organized exercise involving American cruisers at Singapore could also draw in other forces assigned to the area. The counterfactual therefore considers HMS Hermes joining the exercise with Gladiator fighters aboard. The Japanese torpedo bombers would have to make low, straight, level approaches without fighter escort. Those attack runs are presented as an opportunity even for an older biplane fighter to provide useful air defense. Hermes carrying Gladiators is a possibility within the scenario, rather than the historical composition of Force Z.