Exercises and doctrine called for supporting cruisers, so a carrier was not expected to fight an enemy cruiser alone. The wartime handling of Glorious and Courageous illustrates the danger of departing from that expectation. Lower six-inch casemate guns could still provide emergency protection without imposing the same design burden as twin eight-inch turrets high in the ship. Those turrets created topweight, demanded additional ballast low in the hull, and propagated stability compromises through the design. Protecting the hangar sides also mattered against lateral hits, so an armoured flight deck and an armoured hangar were not simple alternatives. Under Washington rules, removing the heavy turrets could produce a more efficient carrier while leaving the navy free to build separate cruisers.
Notable Point · 27:23-32:14
Carrier doctrine and topweight argued against Lexington's eight-inch turrets
Expected cruiser escorts and the stability cost of high-mounted turrets made Lexington's heavy battery less attractive than lower emergency guns and a better carrier design.