Small carriers, repeated raids, and multi-carrier doctrine

First World War air groups were far smaller than those used later at Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, or Midway. That limited capacity made cooperation among several carriers an early doctrinal concern. Furious could recover, rearm, and relaunch its aircraft, sustaining pressure even if the first raid caused little physical damage. She needed to stay beyond shore-gun range and minefields while remaining close enough to operate against the harbour. If observers on Heligoland could see the Royal Navy attacking with impunity, the spectacle might reach the Kaiser and help provoke the German fleet into coming to sea.