I believe all the nit-picking about what's legal for carrier can be answered by looking at the AMA rules. The only place where there is a requirement for "real carrier airplane" is in the bonus points section. So you can fly anything you want, just no bonus points for non-proven carrier airplanes!
From the rules:
"3. Aircraft Requirements. Model must have a fixed or retractable landing gear. If a retractable gear is used, it must be lowered for landing. The model must be equipped with an arresting hook which when extended may not be longer than a one-third (1/3) the length of the fuselage. The model wingspan shall be 44 inches maximum for Class I and Class II and 50 inches maximum for the Profile Class. It is permissible to change the position of any control surface during flight. The model shall be rigged for counterclockwise flight. Models shall not exceed four (4) pounds weight in flight configuration, but without fuel. Autogiros and helicopters, or aircraft which rotate their propellers to a horizontal plane to act as rotors for hovering flight, are prohibited. Models (entries) shall be placed and compete in three (3) groups as follows.
3.1. Class I—Models having an engine displacement up to and including .4028 cubic inch.
3.2. Class II — Models having a minimum engine displacement of .4029 cubic inch to maximum of .6500 cubic inch. Class II will also include jet-type as outlined in the CL General section. Jet models shall be entered in Class II only.
3.3. Profile Class — All aircraft shall be of the profile fuselage type. Engine(s) must not be cowled in. Minimum wing area shall be 300 square inches. Models shall have a fixed landing gear consisting of at least a two-wheel main gear with at least four (4) inches separating the wheels. If a clear canopy is not used, the cockpit or canopy area must be defined with a contrasting color or color outline. It is encouraged that the plane outlines follow some type of Navy aircraft."
The requirements for bonus points is in section 8 of the rules.
"8. Bonus Points.
8.1. A scale model of a carrier aircraft of any nation, provided it displays the national markings of the using nation, shall receive bonus points. A carrier aircraft is any man-carrying aircraft which was successfully flown and which meets at least one (1) of the following requirements: a. Aircraft made actual carrier-type takeoff and arrested landing on an actual or simulated carrier deck, or b. Aircraft is designated as a carrier aircraft by an acceptable source (in cases where actual carrier-type takeoff and arrested landing are not documented). 8.1.1. Scale three-view drawings of the full-scale aircraft and proof that the aircraft meets the above requirements must be submitted to be eligible for scale bonus points. (See Proof of Scale rules in the Unified Scale Judging section for acceptable sources of plans and documentation."