Oh, and I believe a historic point of order...
and COLD: if I am not mistaken it was an American named ELY who showed the world that airplanes could take off and land from a ship in the first place.
Cdr Charles Rumney Samson RN became the first Naval Aviator on 9 May 1912 when launched off HMS HIBERNIA whilst she was
underway. The US Navy trials the year before were from a ship at anchor, which is no different than an airfield on a small island. Samson later became an Air Commodore in the RAF.
I also believe the UK invented the steam catapult?
LJ