HMS Eagle's wartime armament reflected a ship awaiting replacement

How useful was HMS Eagle's gun armament by 1942, and should it have been upgraded further?

Her 4-inch anti-aircraft guns mattered more than the 6-inch battery by then, but extensive modernization was unlikely because newer Illustrious- and Implacable-class carriers were meant to replace her.

Eagle's 4-inch guns mattered more than her 6-inch battery by 1942, and a stronger anti-aircraft fit would have helped. She had not been expected to remain in service so long. Illustrious- and Implacable-class carriers were intended to replace older ships including Eagle and the converted carriers, while Unicorn could replace Hermes within the force structure despite her auxiliary designation. The Second London Naval Treaty's removal of cumulative tonnage limits also made retaining older carriers a way to expand the fleet.