Originally Posted by
NAROBS
Armoured decks of British Fleet Carriers had the disadvantage that in the event of a kamikaze hit the projectile aircraft hardly penetrated and careered along the flight deck taking all before it. This happened to the No 2 of my dad's squadron, killed whilst preparing to take off. Similarly, a dispensible wooden flight deck might help dissipate damage to lower decks from a torpedo hit by providing a point of least resistance to the explosive pressure wave. Ultimately, it boils down to who do you want to put at risk Top-Side or lower decks ?
N
To be fair, terrible though that was for the No 2 of your Dad's squadron it was a much better outcome than penetrating through to the hangar would have been.