@
cryhavoc101
Looking at this model drawing and using the provided scale, it appears to be 24 feet from outer propellor edge to edge. So if we fold at position O on the wing we should be able to fit on any carrier lift that is 25 feet wide. That means Illustrious, Ark Royal and Hermes are out, but all three Outrageous class, plus Indomitable, two Implacables and Eagle should be fine. Lift compatibility aside, Eagle may be too short and slow.
So this is what I am saying by the tail wagging the dog
When Henderson was having the Illustrious class designed he did reach out the then main naval aircraft manufacturers and ask them for advice on future aircraft designs and the Lift dimensions as well as hanger height etc were dictated by that.
So if he was aware that a future Sea Whirlwind/Navalised F.37.35 was going to be 25 ft across folded then the Lifts would have been designed accordingly to support that aircraft design.
Ark Royal had three rectangular lifts, two of 45ft by 22ft and
one of 45ft by 25ft.
So it is possible that the larger lift might serve?
So with early enough knowledge regarding aircraft development all of the Illustrious class, Unicorn and any light fleets would have lifts large enough to support it at the design phase and beyond
Other things I would do is have an earlier purchase of the HS404 20 Cannon along with the then Belt feed mechaisms being worked on in France and an understanding that the Long barrel was only required due to the initial intent of the weapon being a motor Cannon and to allow it to fire through the gearbox/ hub as shown below
The later MK V Hispano cannon had a much shorter Barrel saving weight and drag - this might allow for a shorter 'nose' giving the Pilot better visibility
I would raise the Pilots seat to give a better view forwards as well and this combined with an earlier MKV gun system may counter some of the aircrafts visibility issues - the Cannon might be able to be mounted slightly underneath the cockpit in this case further shortening the nose
Additional range might be achieved with a 90 gal conformal tank under the Cockpit as well
Lastly if it could get off the deck with a 1,670 lb (760 kg) Fish or up to 1500 ib (700 kg) of bombs/mine then it could replace the Swordfish, Skua and Fulmar in one airframe
Heck of an ask I know.
OTL Whirlibombers were off bombing France with a pair of 500 pounders!