Why Lexington's battlecruiser origins would not save her

Would Lexington-class carriers withstand Mediterranean punishment because they began as battlecruiser designs?

Not for long; hits to the unarmored flight deck could reach aviation fuel and hangar-support spaces despite the strength inherited from the original hull.

The hull may absorb somewhat more damage than a lighter carrier, but the critical vulnerability is above it. Bombs penetrating the flight deck can reach the fuel system and the spaces that support the hangar. Lexington can begin with a larger air group, yet that advantage disappears if the aviation facilities are disabled early. The comparison shows why carrier protection must be judged around flight operations rather than only the original hull structure.