Carrier endurance depended on repair materials as well as protection during an attack. Steel plate was easier to stock and move through an overseas support network than the seasoned timber required for a wooden flight deck. Suitable wood needed large storage sheds and careful maintenance before use. Steel construction therefore reduced part of the repair burden for carriers expected to operate far from a major home dockyard.
Notable Point · 29:54-30:21
Steel flight decks and the logistics of overseas carrier repair
Steel flight decks simplified distant repair because steel plate was easier to store and move than the seasoned timber required for wooden decks.