Would deck-edge lifts have changed Illustrious?

Exploratory sketches placed two deck-edge lifts on the starboard side, although the official designs did not adopt them. Larger aircraft would have been easier to handle, and reclaimed internal spaces could have provided additional aircraft or maintenance room. British experience of losing aircraft in North Sea and North Atlantic conditions offered one possible reason for caution. Openings through the hangar's side armour were another concern, while the altered layout would sacrifice office space between the hangar and the hull. Moving the lifts would change the vulnerable areas exposed to bombing, exchanging openings in the flight deck for openings in the side. Their off-centre weight would require ballast and attention to stability. The preference for protection reflected the need to survive repeated air attack and remain repairable far from Britain.