Choosing between the Bf 109 and Fw 190 at sea

Would the Bf 109 or Fw 190 have been the better German carrier fighter?

The Bf 109 was the more plausible choice because of landing speed, but safe carrier use required substantial wing and control-surface changes; the trolley launch protected its landing gear.

Neither fighter was naturally suited to deck operations. The Bf 109's lower landing speed makes it the less difficult starting point, but it would still need more wing area and larger control surfaces to retain lift at lower speed. Graf Zeppelin's launch trolley can be understood as a way to protect fragile landing gear from catapult acceleration, though it imposed severe limits on aircraft handling and capacity. Luftwaffe spacing requirements also consumed hangar room, showing how land-service rules compounded the carrier's aircraft-handling compromises.