HMS Unicorn is officially presented as a forward aviation support ship rather than an aircraft carrier. Henderson gives the proposal enough supporting and repair functions to respect the rules while retaining a full flight deck and an operationally useful carrier form. Structures initially associated with the support role disappear as the design develops, revealing how carefully the requirement was framed. The ship's name also illustrates the Controller's reach because the naming committee effectively answered to the Third Sea Lord during this period.
Notable Point · 19:32-20:58
How HMS Unicorn passed as an aviation support ship
Henderson uses classification, design details, and even the naming process to move a full-flight-deck carrier through institutional constraints.