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[Lightning Guy]

The only other aircraft progressed with was the Ju-87C Stuka. It was a navalized version of the basic Ju-87 with folding wings, arrestor hook, inflatable dinghy, and inflatable air bags in the fuselage and wing that could keep the plane itself afloat for 3 days in calm weather. Here's some stats . . .

Engine: Jumo 211 Da - 1,200hp take-off; 1,100hp @ 4,920 ft
Speed (with weapons and fuel tanks): 178mph @ sea level, 193 mph @ 9,840ft, 199mph @ 16,405 ft
Cruise: 190 mph @ 16,405ft
Range (w/bomb): 332 miles
Range (w/bomb and tanks): 721 miles
Weight: 11,773lbs max
Span: 43' .75" (16' 5" folded)
Length: 36' .75"
Height:12' 4.5"
Wing area: 336.91' sq.

Not the most impressive numbers but the Japanese did very well with the comparable D3A 'Val.'

 

[plan_D]

The Graf Zeppelin was plagued by internal rivalry, mainly from the jealousy of Herman Goering, the ass at the end of the Luftwaffe. It would have been an used for attacking Convoys, which gives the Atlantic Convoy a bad time...

 

[Lightning Guy]

As a raider, it might have had some success. For fleet battles, it was all wrong. If the Graf Zepplin had started causing any real trouble, the USN could have sent over a couple of Essex-class to show the Germans what a real aircraft carrier ought to look like. And a fight between 109Ts and Hellcats might have been rather interesting.

 

[plan_D]

Or more likely the Royal Navy would send it's Carrier Battle groups since they'd be closer. And Swordfish would send it to the bottom.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

and seafires against 109s isn't a very original dogfight.......................

 

[MP-Willow]

All good thanks! As for the USN to show what 40 years of carrier resurch would be like the Essex-Class would work but look at the number of planes and the armore for the Zepplen I bet the CVEs could have even given her a hard time. But to see a Hellcat and a 109 dance in the sky would be nice. 8)

 

[Lightning Guy]

I wouldn't have wanted to attack the Graf Zepplin in a Stringbag unless it was at night. As much as I love the old Swordfish, it would just be fodder for a 109. But a coordinated strike of Helldivers and Avengers covered by Hellcats would have decimated her.

 

[plan_D]

They Royal Navy would have hunted it, it would have been closer for a start. They might have not used a Carrier to sink it. Submarines, torpedo boats. It's only one carrier, unless it got out into the Atlantic and got used on the convoys (which is what it was meant to do) it would have been on the bottom in days, like the Bismarck.

 

[MP-Willow]

True about the Cats and Helldivers. But it also had a lot of guns on her, probably to many and that took away from the amount of planes. It would have been set up with its own battle group, and then the race for the Atlantic, and sit out in the middle and raise hell

The RN would most likly have come and we could have seen a great Atlantic carrier war, short but a battle. The fleet would have come maybe from the Med, and that might have let Malta fall or at least given the Italians a better shot.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

oh come on, we're talking about the italians here....................

and tha chances are the germans would treat it like the bismark, they wouldn't want to lose a their only carrier and so would hold it back most of the time through fear of the RN.....................

 

[plan_D]

They didn't hold the Bismarck back, they held the Tipitz back because the Commandos blew up St. Nazaire.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

sorry, my mistake, my favourite plane did destry it afterall..............

 

[Lightning Guy]

You also have to understand that a German battle group would have include the Graf Zeplin and perhaps two other warships. Germany only had a handful of warships capable of sailing into the Atlantic. The Royal Navy could have hunted her (and very well may have) but I do not like the idea of attacking a target defended by 109s in a Swordfish.

 

[plan_D]

You don't have to attack with a carrier.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

This is a quote from a book called "The Ship Busters" it is a series of true stories about ship-busting, on one occasion the pilot had to hit a ship with fighter escort sailing north in a swordfish.............

"...it wasn't the 109s that scared us as the stringbag could easily out manouver them, the was the flak that was the main threat..."

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Stringbag could outmaneuver a 109 but the Stringbag lacked the power for sustained maneuvering. 109s would have torn them to shreds.

You didn't have to attack with an aircraft carrier, but you would if you had one available. Billy Mitchell, Taranto, Pearl Harbor, and the sinking of the Princes of Wales and Repulse all proved that aifcraft (and thus the aircraft carrier) were supperior to the battleship. It should also be noted that the Graf Zepplin could outrun any battleship in the Royal Navy and had the firepower to outgun any cruiser (a waste of tonnage but true). Any surface force attempting to come to range with the Graf Zepplin would have been forced to endure several waves of attacks and probably suffered heavy casualties. Another aircraft carrier was clearly the best option.

 

[MP-Willow]

Why use Swordfish when the RN had avenger and duantles aircraft. Aso the seafire could have helped to take on the 109s. Or hunt the fleet with subs. In anycase if the battle group would have been able to get out into the atlantic it would have been a marked target from east and West. but while it lasted convoys would have to be in greater fear. A sufface battle group and the Wofpacks would be a scarry! 8)

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but the problem is getting it into the atlantic, it either had to go through the channel, or around scotland, i wouldn't want to do either................

 

[Lightning Guy]

It would have run around Scotland through the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom gap.

MP-Willow, the total number of Dauntlesses delivered to the FAA was 9 and they never saw any active service. In fact, the FAA never had a truly effective dive-bomber. The Avenger didn't enter service with the FAA until 1943 but would have been the best bet.

 

[plan_D]

That's another point to mention. It would have had to go up through the North Sea, well within the range of the Mosquitos and Beaufighters. Quite an easy target going up there.