Furious exposed the turbulence and operating problems created by retaining a large central superstructure, while Argus supplied comparative airflow data. Hermes instead placed the island to starboard, reflecting both wind-tunnel work and pilots' tendency to turn left when escaping a bad approach. Her hull, hangar, and aviation facilities were arranged for carrier work from the beginning rather than layered onto machinery and structure intended for another ship type. Although much smaller and slower than Furious, Hermes carried aircraft more efficiently for her displacement. Purpose-built internal volume, exhaust routing, and deck arrangement could matter more than the size of the hull available for conversion.
Chapter · 37:42-43:29
Hermes establishes the purpose-built carrier layout
Trials with Furious and Argus feed into HMS Hermes, whose starboard island and carrier-specific hull show the advantages of designing for aviation from the keel up.