How would HMS Eagle and carrier aviation affect an alternate Jutland in the delayed-war scenario?
Short answerJutland itself might not occur. Eagle would remain a Chilean battleship, while Britain would probably build Hermes-style carriers around torpedo aircraft.
NotesThe delayed war could also remove the circumstances that produced Jutland, so the historical battle cannot simply be repeated with different ships. Eagle would remain a Chilean battleship instead of becoming a British carrier conversion. A purpose-built Hermes-style order around 1916 could follow the development of an aircraft intended to launch a torpedo. Its large wings would set substantial space requirements for launching and recovering it, making a carrier larger than the historical Hermes plausible.