Why an earlier Hellcat beats a navalized P-51

How would a navalized P-51 perform if deployed to American carriers before the Pacific War?

It would be useful, but an earlier Hellcat would be a better fit for carrier air defense and naval operation.

The answer accepts that a navalized P-51 would be an interesting and capable fleet fighter. Its performance would make it useful against the Mitsubishi Zero and in carrier air defense. It nevertheless prefers an earlier F6F Hellcat because it was designed around the demands of naval operation. The comparison distinguishes raw fighter performance from suitability for the carrier mission.