An imagined fleet of unusually resilient ships needs a British aircraft carrier. Illustrious is favoured for repeatedly surviving difficult situations and continuing to operate. Her top speed by the end of the war is tentatively put at 25 knots, so the praise concerns endurance rather than undiminished performance. Victorious is also considered, although her large rebuild complicates the comparison of service records.
Notable Point · 4:05-4:43
Illustrious keeps serving despite reduced speed
An imagined fleet selection favours Illustrious for continuing to serve through difficult operations, even with a possible late-war speed limit of 25 knots.