Okay, since the pod is much before th ww2.
Naval fighters are more demanding with necessary speed 'span' vs. their land-based counterparts - lower stall speed, yet as high top speed as possible. In the 1930s-1950s era, the later requirement dictates monoplanes, and former requirement dictates high-lift devices, predominantly good, very good flaps, while slats are also a good ting. So make the 2-seat fighter not so darned huge, but size of P-51 to Hurricane, with reasonably thin wing outfitted with slats and Fowler flaps - and 'ALT Fulmar' that performs, thus there is less need for Sea Hurricane or Seafire.
Make a deal with RR to develop the 'R' engine into a viable military engine before 1940s, don't waste time and resources into developing own engines (Grumman didn't make any engines, so this is along the lines of this thread).
Use the wing from the ALT Fulmar, but bigger, and fuselage from Battle for the new torpedo bomber - 'ALT Albacore'.
Install the 'ALT Griffon' on the fighter by 1941, so there is a 370++ mph fighter now, with two drop tanks, later with 4 cannons.
Once the Griffon with 2-stage S/C is available, have that one installed, for 400++ mph.
Time is for a new airframe, that will sport laminar-flow wings, slats, Fowler flaps with 2 segments (like the Nakajima Saiun), 1 seat, capable to carry a torpedo - ALT Firefly. A tactical bomber spin-off with 2/3 seats might be called ALT Barracuda.
Move on to jet A/C development in 1945 (not my cup of tea, hopefully other people can take over).