Lexington and Saratoga were feared to be poor fits for the US Navy's developing carrier doctrine while they were under construction. Doubts included whether their decks would be long enough and whether they would have enough lifts. Ranger embodied expectations drawn from Sims's work and war gaming more closely, but experience with the conversions changed the understanding of what the doctrine required. By then Ranger's design was too far advanced to change readily. Lexington and Saratoga proved effective in service, and their operating experience became a stronger guide to the Yorktown class than Ranger's earlier design assumptions.
Chapter · 23:53-28:38
Lexington and Ranger reverse early expectations
The US Navy's supposed white elephants and ideal carrier design trade places once exercises and operations test the doctrine.