When a postwar rebuild pays off

Which postwar ship reconstructions were the best and worst?

Victorious was costly and badly managed, while destroyer-to-anti-submarine-escort conversions were far more convincing.

Modernizing HMS Victorious was a sound idea, but the work was badly managed. The refit became exceptionally expensive, and discovering the need for major engine work after other changes had been completed compounded the cost and disruption. Converting war-emergency destroyers into anti-submarine escorts makes a much stronger case. Those projects paired an available hull with a clear postwar mission and produced ships that remained useful in later service.