Seaplane limits made carriers more logical

In 1914 the seaplane looked like the obvious shipboard aircraft, yet it imposed serious practical problems. Seaplanes needed stowage, shelter from salt and weather, fuel, lubricants, maintenance stores, and handling equipment aboard already crowded warships. Ramps and platforms obstructed normal work and gun arcs, while operations remained dependent on the state of the water even after a shipboard catapult could assist launch. Landplanes also developed a growing performance advantage. These pressures strengthened the case for a specialised flight-deck carrier, and Royal Navy wartime needs accelerated an otherwise evolutionary process.