Illustrious and Eagle were worked hard because neither ship alone provided the desired combination of fighters, strike aircraft, and maintenance capacity. Eagle's condition kept her out of the Taranto attack, while later damage to Illustrious and Formidable continued the cycle of single-carrier operations. The Royal Navy had practiced coordinating several flight decks throughout the interwar period. Force availability across a global war remained the limiting factor, so earlier procurement and maintenance decisions shaped later operational choices.
Notable Point · 45:20-49:10
Attrition frustrated British multi-carrier doctrine
The Royal Navy had practiced operating several carriers together, but losses, damage, and worldwide commitments repeatedly denied it enough available flight decks.