Actually, HS, you make a good point there. I hadn't looked at it that way before. As things worked out neither the aircraft nor the carrier have actually been missed - apart from those that loved it, understandably. All the ops that Britain has conducted have managed very well with other equipment. Maybe Britain has been lucky, in a way, I hope that's the case or all the cash for the new ships will have been wasted.
I might also say that your bluntness and truthfulness there go a long way to explain your occasional appearance as being a bit "anti".