Would a third Lexington carrier be better than Hornet for the Doolittle Raid, and what if Lexington battlecruisers also survived?
Short answerThe carrier could be better with extra tanker support, and battlecruiser sisters would give the raid force a powerful answer to Japanese cruiser interception.
NotesThe extra carrier's fuel demand could be managed by assigning another tanker. More consequentially, a mixed force containing Lexington-class battlecruisers would be designed to crush enemy cruisers rather than duel battleships. Japanese heavy cruisers attempting to interfere with the raid would then face 16-inch-gunned escorts built precisely for that matchup.